Christian Care Center of Unicoi County

I am writing to formally express my concern regarding a recent social media post made by a staff member at Christian Care Center of Unicoi County. I found the content of this post to be inappropriate, misleading, and disrespectful toward the residents who live in your facility. From my understanding, the post implied that candidates visiting the facility were taking advantage of residents or speaking with individuals who may not be capable of making informed decisions. I want to be very clear, this paints an inaccurate and harmful picture of the residents in your care. Not every individual in a nursing home or assisted living facility suffers from dementia or lacks decision-making capacity. Many long-term residents are cognitively intact, score well on their BIMS assessments, and are fully capable of making their own decisions, including exercising their right to vote. Living in a care facility does not remove someone’s rights as a citizen, nor does it make them incapable of understanding or participating in the world around them. There are also regulations and safeguards in place that prevent candidates from engaging with individuals who are not legally able to vote. Staff members are present during these interactions to ensure residents are protected. Suggesting otherwise is not only incorrect, but it is also damaging to the dignity of the residents and the reputation of your facility. Additionally, I understand there were comments made regarding a candidate not speaking with staff. This is not unusual. Staff members are working, and the purpose of these visits is to engage with residents who are registered voters. This should not be portrayed as negative behavior. What is most concerning to me is that this post came from a staff member who is not directly involved in resident care decision-making. For someone in that position to publicly make statements that misrepresent residents and imply a lack of competency is completely inappropriate. Even more concerning is the apparent lack of action taken by management to address or correct this behavior. I have a family member who resides at your facility, and they are still valued and a important member of our community. I want to emphasize that the direct care they receive from your nurses and CNAs has been excellent. Their compassion, professionalism, and dedication do not go unnoticed, and I am truly grateful for the care they provide every day. However, the actions of other staff and the lack of accountability from management are deeply disappointing. Allowing a post like this to remain unaddressed reflects poorly on the leadership of your organization and raises concerns about how residents are perceived and represented by your team. I am personally offended on behalf of residents who are fully capable of thinking for themselves and exercising their rights. They deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness at all times, both inside the facility and in how they are portrayed publicly. I would appreciate a response regarding how this situation is being addressed and what steps will be taken to ensure this does not happen again in the future.