THOMASVILLE, N.C. — A Triad woman is out of the hospital after she was taken from a Thomasville nursing home to the ICU.
Earlier this month, police found three staffers were caring for 98 residents at Pine Ridge Health and Rehabilitation. Officers found two people dead and two more in critical condition.
One of those residents is at a new facility.
"She has good days and bad days. Monday was not such a good day," Tim Smith said.
His 85-year-old mother, Shirley Smith, is exhausted. She is recovering from a hospital stay due to pneumonia.
Her son said there's a relief for him and his sister.
"She's getting excellent care here. There are definitely more than three staff members here. That's for sure," Smith said.
Smith was one of two residents sent to the hospital when Thomasville Police found three staff members caring for residents at Pine Ridge on January 16.
In a statement, the facility said snowy weather and high COVID-19 rates created the staffing shortage. Smith and his sister believe the facility wasn't caring for their mother properly.
"There was a short staff problem all the time," Smith said. "Pine Ridge tried to say that it was because of the weather conditions that day but it was like that every weekend."
They moved their mother into a nursing facility in Lexington and said they do not know how much time they have left with her.
"She's probably in the latter stages of dementia. We don't know how long that's going to be but we're just trying to make her as comfortable as she can be while she's here," Smith said.
They're hopeful the investigation into Pine Ridge brings change for the residents still there.
"I hope that the people get the care that they need if Pine Ridge is allowed to stay open," Smith said. "I hope they are totally changed and the folks that are in there get the care that they deserve."
Thomasville Police said the investigation is still ongoing. No word on when it could wrap up. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is also investigating.