Obesity is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the United States. Recent statistics show that more than 78 million people are affected by obesity, whether that's through diabetes, heart disease, cardiovascular issues, or even death. Millions try to lose weight every year to combat the negative effects that obesity brings about, but a large number of those people are unsuccessful. It can be easy for those without weight problems to say, "just lose the weight!" but unfortunately, weight loss isn't something that happens overnight. When done properly, it involves careful planning and professional help. When done incorrectly, it involves yo-yo dieting, fad diet solutions, and other unsafe methods.
Fad diets seen on TV can be encouraging, but the truth is most of these "programs" are less about healthy weight loss and more about losing weight fast. These unhealthy, unbalanced diets often foster weight gain, not weight loss over time.
Fortunately, more and more overweight adults and even children are turning to professionals for help, who not only help them achieve their weight loss goals but keep them on track and healthy for the long term. If you're looking for the highest quality medical weight loss in Summerville, SC, look no further than Back 2 Health Physical Medicine.
If you were to ask one of our experienced clinicians their tips for a healthy life, maintaining a healthy weight would be at the very top of the list. This is especially true given the prevalence of certain viruses like COVID-19, which can wreak havoc on the body of an unhealthy, overweight individual. Unfortunately, given the sheer number of diet plans and "miracle" weight loss supplements, dieting can be a confusing, counterproductive journey. To make matters worse, many of these weight loss programs are not medically tested or supervised, which is dangerous.
At Back 2 Health, our team is committed to helping our clients lose weight and maintain that weight loss, so they can live a healthy, fulfilling life. Unlike some weight loss companies that tout "quick weight loss solutions," Back 2 Health Physical Medicine focuses on real results through time-tested techniques, strong support, and sustainable habits. There are no starvation diets or extreme exercise plans at our weight loss clinic in Summerville - only medically-backed programs customized to your lifestyle.
Our medical weight loss programs include:
If you have tried to lose weight in the past but have failed, don't sweat it - there are millions of other men and women in your shoes as well. Your weight loss challenges are less about you failing and more about the diets or regimens you used. When it comes to healthy weight loss, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. That's why, when you walk into our medical weight loss clinic, we will conduct a thorough assessment and develop a custom weight loss strategy that you feel good about.
Our clients choose Back 2 Health Physical Medicine because we truly care about our customers' health. Our goal is to be as flexible and open about your weight loss journey as possible. Our customized plans fit not only your health needs but also your fitness goals and budget requirements.
Choosing a medically supervised weight loss treatment plan from Back 2 Health Physical Medicine ensures that you lose weight safely and effectively, even after you achieve your weight loss goals. As you shed excess weight, we can also provide training and recommendations that keep the pounds off for good. If you're ready to give up on crash dieting and unsafe fads, it's time to call Back 2 Health in Summerville, SC. Your body, your friends, and your family will thank you!
If you were to ask someone on the street to name a popular fad diet, they probably wouldn't have much trouble. From Atkins to South Beach and Keto to Paleo, we've all heard of at least one popular weight-loss trend. The problem with these diets is that they only work for some people. Even then, the results are often short-lived.
If you're wondering whether you have been on or are currently using a fad diet, ask yourself these questions:
If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, chances are it's a fad diet, and it most likely won't be very effective over the long run. With fad diets, balanced nutrition often takes the back seat to sketchy weight loss pills or extreme life choices - all of which are counterproductive to a healthy life.
If you have struggled with your weight for any length of time, there's no doubt you're stressed out trying to find an effective solution. You probably have many stories about following fad diets, taking unhealthy diet pills, or even dropping big bucks on expensive exercise equipment. If you're like most of our clients, you're still struggling with your weight, despite your best efforts. The common theme here is that all of your self-made attempts happened without the medical guidance of a true medical weight loss clinic in Summerville, SC.
If this sounds like you, we've got great news. The safest, most effective solution to losing weight starts with the help of Back 2 Health's medical weight loss plans. Instead of choosing a fad diet, speak to one of our weight loss healthcare professionals. We can help you lose weight in a way that you find enjoyable, so you actually like
Obesity is a nuanced disease that involves excessive amounts of body fat. It's not just a cosmetic concern. It's a medical issue that raises a person's chance of severe diseases and health problems. Often, obese people have problems losing weight because of physiological, genetic, and environmental factors. There are many other contributing factors to weight gain, including:
People who live sedentary lifestyles will take in more calories than they burn off through exercise or day-to-day activities. Inactivity is a huge problem in today's society, especially with the constant presence of computers, smartphones, and tablets that encourage the user to stay glued to their screen.
If your daily food intake consists of high-caloric fast-food meals full of oversized portions, expect to gain weight quickly.
Alcoholic and other high-calorie drinks like sodas cause people to intake large amounts of calories without ever feeling full. When combined with a poor diet and lack of water intake, consuming liquid calories can be a significant contributor to weight gain.
Weight gain is very common during pregnancy, but some women find it hard to lose the added pounds once they have given birth. With time, this weight gain will contribute to obesity.
When you don't get enough sleep, your whole body suffers. If you're only getting a few hours of sleep a night, you may notice increased appetite and even hormone changes. Both factors can contribute to obesity.
Quitting smoking is one of the healthiest choices you can make as an adult. However, sometimes smoking cessation causes weight gain. For some, this weight gain gets out of control and leads to obesity. Often times this happens as former smokers use food to cope with their withdrawals.
When you're stressed out, you may turn to a chocolate bar or cheeseburger as "comfort food" to deal with whatever problem you're facing. Turning to fast food and sweets is not a healthy way to deal with stress and can lead to obesity.
Although being obese is considered a physical condition, obesity's effects stretch far beyond a person's body composition and weight. Being overweight is associated with several long-term health problems. Many of these problems rank among the nation's leading reasons for premature death. Generally, the more excess weight you carry around, the more likely you are to develop negative complications with your health.
Individuals who are clinically obese have a heightened risk of the following ailments:
The good news? Substantial weight loss is possible with diet, physical activity, and the help of a medical weight loss team. You do not have to be destined to live with obesity and a shorter life expectancy. Back 2 Health Physical Medicine is here to steer you down the path to a positive, healthy life for years to come.
Controlling your weight is a healthy habit that allows you to maintain proper health. However, losing weight isn't just about looking better. It's about feeling better too and is a very important part of being healthy and well. Before you throw caution out the window and try a "miraculous" weight loss solution, contact Back 2 Health Physical Medicine. Our medical weight loss clinicians don't just focus on making you slimmer. Instead, we oversee improvements relating to hormonal imbalances, high blood pressure, cholesterol, digestive problems, and diet. We are devoted to changing the lives of our clients, one weight loss plan at a time.
Here are just a few benefits of using a medical weight loss clinic:
People who live sedentary lifestyles will take in more calories than they burn off through exercise or day-to-day activities. Inactivity is a huge problem in today's society, especially with the constant presence of computers, smartphones, and tablets that encourage the user to stay glued to their screen.
If your daily food intake consists of high-caloric fast-food meals full of oversized portions, expect to gain weight quickly.
Alcoholic and other high-calorie drinks like sodas cause people to intake large amounts of calories without ever feeling full. When combined with a poor diet and lack of water intake, consuming liquid calories can be a significant contributor to weight gain.
When you sign up with Back 2 Health, know that you are taking a hugely important step to living a healthier life. If you're ready to feel better, look better, and live longer, call our medical weight loss clinic in Summerville today. Before you know it, you will look and feel better than you ever have before.
FREE CONSULTATIONSUMMERVILLE — There will soon be a new sculpture right outside of Saul Alexander Playground, and it’s going to be absolutely bananas.Town Council accepted the Sculpture in the South’s donation of a 350-pound, 7-foot half-peeled banana with feet reclined on a 6-foot-long bronze bench.Sculpture in the South is an organization formed in 1999 to add art to public spaces throughout Summerville.The group is in the process of fundraising to purchase the sculpture, which costs $50,000.Otis Engelman, chai...
SUMMERVILLE — There will soon be a new sculpture right outside of Saul Alexander Playground, and it’s going to be absolutely bananas.
Town Council accepted the Sculpture in the South’s donation of a 350-pound, 7-foot half-peeled banana with feet reclined on a 6-foot-long bronze bench.
Sculpture in the South is an organization formed in 1999 to add art to public spaces throughout Summerville.
The group is in the process of fundraising to purchase the sculpture, which costs $50,000.
Otis Engelman, chairman of Sculpture in the South, said every sculpture the organization has purchased to place in Summerville has been paid for by donations from Summerville residents and no town funds.
The banana sculpture will be placed between the Miracle League field and the playground, near the horseshoe. Town Council accepted the sculpture during its Jan. 12 meeting.
The banana is a work of Jack Hill, who is based out of DeLand, Fla. Dora Ann Reaves, a member of Sculpture in the South, said the banana is one of Hill’s favorite forms, adding that he has other sculptures of bananas on roller skates.
“He’s got a real interesting sense of humor,” Reaves said. “The idea that a banana could sit on a bench or roller skate is of interest to him.”
Sculpture in the South has already placed a variety of sculptures around the town, many of which are in Summerville parks. The organization helped facilitate the sculpture of the late John McKissick and his wife, Joan.
Sculpture in the South was looking to add a more whimsical piece to its collection, Amy Evans, parks and recreation director, said.
Reaves spoke for the banana at the standing committees meeting on Jan. 9, where the Parks and Recreation Committee voted unanimously to accept the donation.
Reaves said she likes the banana sculpture because it’s a more fun piece, and has a unique look.
Town Councilman Aaron Brown spoke in favor of the sculpture after Reaves gave her endorsement.
“I think it would be a good idea if we try to be more broad-based with the sculptures that we approve,” Brown said at the meeting. He then suggested getting a sculpture at Wassamassaw Community Park to represent Native Americans’ heritage.
Town Councilwoman Kima Garten-Schmidt said she believes the banana is the perfect sculpture for the park.
“It’s not supposed to be anything serious,” Garten-Schmidt said. “The kids are going to absolutely love it. They’re going to love climbing on it, getting their picture taken with it — even adults are going to love getting a selfie taken with it.”
While it was board of the Sculpture in the South’s decision to choose the banana to place in Saul Alexander Playground, Reaves said she was pleased with the choice.
“Most of our other pieces are memorials or animals,” Reaves said. “We don’t have any other bananas.”
If anyone is interested in donating or contributing to the fundraiser for the banana sculpture, email sculptureinthesouth@gmail.com.
SUMMERVILLE — It’s almost 1:30 p.m., and to the white-handed gibbons, that means lunch time is nearing.In excitement, a pair of mated gibbons start making noise. The female gibbon produces a series of loud notes, starting in a low tone and gradually going higher. The male then chimes in with a higher pitch, as if he were chirping.They’re singing. The creatures sing in a duet, and the only place in the Lowcountry you would be able to hear this is at the International Primate Protection League’s gibbon san...
SUMMERVILLE — It’s almost 1:30 p.m., and to the white-handed gibbons, that means lunch time is nearing.
In excitement, a pair of mated gibbons start making noise. The female gibbon produces a series of loud notes, starting in a low tone and gradually going higher. The male then chimes in with a higher pitch, as if he were chirping.
They’re singing. The creatures sing in a duet, and the only place in the Lowcountry you would be able to hear this is at the International Primate Protection League’s gibbon sanctuary, established in 1977 by the late Shirley McGreal — just four years after she founded the IPPL.
When Pam Mendosa, chairwoman and acting CEO of the IPPL, is in Summerville, she stays in a house on IPPL property. She lives in Virginia but visits every other month, if not every month, for at least 10 days at a time. She relishes the times she is able to hear the gibbons sing.
“When I have people give me estimates or anything, I say, ‘You want to come out and meet me, and not do this over the phone?’ I really urge people to come out,” Mendosa said. “Sure enough, whether we go with the company or not, they’re so enthralled with hearing (the gibbons) singing.”
The sanctuary is a private preserve that houses 29 gibbons, as well as five short-clawed Asian otters. In the past, the sanctuary has also taken in rescue dogs.
The IPPL and gibbon sanctuary are working to continue honoring McGreal’s legacy after her passing in November 2021, just as the IPPL reaches its 50th anniversary.
McGreal was living in Thailand when she established the league in 1973.
She was concerned about how primates were being captured from the wild, transported and exploited in captivity. She founded the IPPL in order to try and protect primates around the world.
Since its founding, the IPPL has kept busy, from exposing animal smuggling rings to organizing worldwide protests to raise awareness of the mistreatment of primates in labs.
The group’s work over the years has influenced countries such as Belgium and Malaysia to establish laws banning wildlife trafficking and monkey exports. The league has been recognized by public figures like Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, and McGreal herself earned awards and achievements from the United Nations and Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of her work.
Now, the IPPL has partnerships with 26 animal welfare groups and sanctuaries around the world. A wildlife sanctuary in Nepal opened in 2016 and was named in honor of McGreal.
The sanctuary she established in Summerville has taken in gibbons from labs, captivity, zoos and households — as some people have had gibbons as pets.
The sanctuary is not open to visitors. It comprises several enclosures, all connected via a tube system. Each enclosure includes a ropes course and some monkey bars for the gibbons to swing around, and they all connect to their respective gibbon house — where they sleep. Mated gibbons are in the same enclosure.
After her death, McGreal left behind a tremendous legacy that the IPPL and employees at the gibbon sanctuary are working to uphold.
Employees say in terms of the sanctuary itself, not a lot has changed since McGreal’s passing. They’re working on upgrading the gibbons’ houses and the animal care kitchen to maintain the gibbons’ healthy lifestyle and ensure their safety.
“The buildings are almost 50 years old,” said Meg McCue-Jones, safety and compliance manager.
She added that the sanctuary mainly relies on donations to keep running. They apply for grants, but don’t consistently receive grant money.
McCue-Jones said the sanctuary used to receive calls from donors specifically so they could talk to McGreal. Since her passing, the donors still call, but will talk to office staff and board members.
Trish McCoy, animal care manager, started working at the sanctuary in April 2020. She said McGreal was always a good resource whenever she had any questions and wished she knew McGreal longer.
“As I’ve worked here longer, I get more and more questions. ... I miss having her around to answer some of the questions, and talking to her about some of the people that helped her get started and how she ended up doing this,” McCoy said. “I miss being able to go in and ask her for advice.”
Mendosa said she hopes for the IPPL’s spring appeal and newsletter to focus on gibbons and the sanctuary.
“Sometimes we focus on the chimps that are in Africa through two or three of our sanctuaries, because international is what really put us on the map,” Mendosa said. “But the sanctuary was so dear to Shirley’s heart.”
Mendosa said the league is still working to protect primates and honor McGreal’s legacy.
“I think it’s important that people know that while Shirley was such an integral part in so many ways — some people think IPPL is Shirley McGreal — we’re continuing, and we’re still strong,” Mendosa said. “We’re still doing good work.”
McCoy has been working with animals for most of her life, but these past two years working at the sanctuary marked the first time for her working with gibbons. She describes working with them as “obviously awesome,” and said she enjoys how each gibbon has a different personality.
“Between the 29 gibbons, no two are the same,” McCoy said.
Some like to hang out on the floor of the enclosures, while others love to swing around on the ropes and bars — never touching the ground. Some gibbons like to play catch with the caretakers and their food. Others don’t.
“Michael is very gentle, very easygoing. Maui ... you put a toy in there, you better make sure that toy cannot be pulled apart, because he will figure out a way to do it,” McCoy said. “Paen loves having stuffed animals — she’s always dragging one around. Thai could care less. He wants to know what’s in his food bucket.”
She added that some gibbons get along with each other, while others don’t; while all the enclosures are connected via a tube system, there are gates that prevent gibbons from encroaching on each other’s territory.
She gave an example: Nick and Elsa, two mated gibbons, are right next to Ziggy and Erin, another pair of mated gibbons. Nick and Ziggy get along, and they each get along with Elsa and Erin, but Elsa and Erin don’t.
“The girls throw food at each other; they like to actually take the food all the way from their enclosure to inside (their gibbon house) so they can get a closer range when they throw food,” McCoy said. “They’re not hurting anybody; they’re not hurting each other there. To a certain point, that’s a little bit of what would happen in the wild.”
McCoy said the most rewarding part for her working in animal care is when the gibbons started recognizing her as one of their caregivers.
“As an animal keeper, you’re here to take care of them. You want their lives to be better. When they start recognizing you and stop trying to scratch you, you know that you’re finally accepted,” McCoy said.
For more information or to donate to the gibbon sanctuary, go to the International Primate Protection League’s website at ippl.org.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - It was a big win for the Summerville chapter of the NAACP after the Summerville Town Council unanimously approved a redistricting plan Thursday.Summerville NAACP spokesperson Felisa Geddis said it’s extremely important to have equal representation, and the plan they put forward will help ensure that.“It’s so important no matter who you are. So, you can look at it from the aspect or perspective of minorities wanting this, or the NAACP wanting this, but it is actually what all people w...
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - It was a big win for the Summerville chapter of the NAACP after the Summerville Town Council unanimously approved a redistricting plan Thursday.
Summerville NAACP spokesperson Felisa Geddis said it’s extremely important to have equal representation, and the plan they put forward will help ensure that.
“It’s so important no matter who you are. So, you can look at it from the aspect or perspective of minorities wanting this, or the NAACP wanting this, but it is actually what all people want,” Geddis said.
She said people are not always aware of what’s going on in local government, especially with all the growth in Dorchester and Berkeley counties. To have someone on the town council representing their community and bringing information back is critical. She said information is power.
“We always have to take the stance that we are going to make sure every person counts,” Geddis said.
Since 2010, the population of Summerville has grown by nearly 10,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to town documents, the previous districts, last updated in 2012, were outdated and unequal. The new single member districts, which are based on data from the 2020 census, will provide equal representation on the Town Council.
After the redistricting map passed unanimously, Councilmember William McIntosh said he was proud of the way the town handled the process.
“For a town like Summerville, with our demographics, with our size, with our growth, for us to handle a very political matter of redistricting, and to handle it in a way where we worked really arm and arm with the NAACP...we should give ourselves a pat on the back,” McIntosh said.
Geddis said she’s thankful to the council members for recognizing the importance of what the NAACP is fighting for- because at the end of the day, we’re all fighting for the same thing
We all live together in Summerville and throughout this country,” Geddis said. “We all want the same thing. So, we don’t want the divide, and I appreciate the council members for recognizing that everyone’s equal,” Geddis said.
For more information about the new districts, click here.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Located at the corner of Berlin Myers Parkway and Highway 78, a 57-acre multi-use property will bring new development to the Summerville area by early 2025.The property, named Sawmill, will include 474 multi-family apartment units, offices, restaurants, hotels, stores, banks, outdoor spaces and a 40,000-square-foot Roper St. Francis facility....
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Located at the corner of Berlin Myers Parkway and Highway 78, a 57-acre multi-use property will bring new development to the Summerville area by early 2025.
The property, named Sawmill, will include 474 multi-family apartment units, offices, restaurants, hotels, stores, banks, outdoor spaces and a 40,000-square-foot Roper St. Francis facility.
Summerville spokesperson Mary Edwards said the task to get the development started was a long process.
“It’s something that people have been wanting for a long time, and council has really supported the developers, too. It’s a big deal for us; I mean, it’s a new big development that’s coming to our area,” Edwards said. “It’s something that’s needed. It’s something that the public has really wanted.”
The developers, Lee & Associates, said in a news release that “a new walkable community designed to better connect residents with the fun they want and services they need will be anchored by a major healthcare system.”
Although not everyone in the area is excited about the new development. Some members of the Summerville community shared their concerns on a Facebook post with over 400 comments mentioning traffic problems, school enrollment and housing availability.
Located near the development, the Spinx gas station may see increased traffic with the upcoming construction. Employee Rona Emons, shared her concerns.
“I don’t think we can really handle it because this road is already always backed up; it’s already hard to get in and out of the store,” she said. “I think that’s going to make it a lot worse unless they try to widen the road somehow, which I don’t know how they can do that. But yeah, it’s going to cause a lot of congestion in this area.”
In response to the concerns, Edwards said the city and developers studied research before deciding if the project was appropriate for the area.
“The town is growing really fast,” Edwards said. “So, we know that people want to come here, and they want to experience the area. We want to be able to provide these types of options for people when they come.”
Construction on the health care facility and multi-family apartment units will begin in early 2023.
“I’m kind of excited,” Emons said. “I’d like to get out. You know, it’d be nice to see something new in this area. So yeah, I’m looking forward to it in some ways, and otherwise, I’m kind of a little leery of it.”
Overall, the project is expected to cost $200 million.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.
A woman with intellectual disabilities in the care of the state is now recovering after she was hit by a car, late at night on a Summerville road.Published: Fri Dec 09 2022|Updated: Mon Dec 12 2022SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - A woman with intellectual disabilities in the care of the state is now recovering after she was hit by a car, late at night on a Summerville road.Now, her family is asking how that was even possible in the first place.It was sometime between 12:30 and 12:42 a.m. on Oct. 16 when a car hit Mary W...
A woman with intellectual disabilities in the care of the state is now recovering after she was hit by a car, late at night on a Summerville road.
Published: Fri Dec 09 2022|Updated: Mon Dec 12 2022
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - A woman with intellectual disabilities in the care of the state is now recovering after she was hit by a car, late at night on a Summerville road.
Now, her family is asking how that was even possible in the first place.
It was sometime between 12:30 and 12:42 a.m. on Oct. 16 when a car hit Mary Williams who was walking along Miles Jamison Road.
Williams, a 42-year-old, has intellectual disabilities and a depressive disorder.
She is a longtime resident, or consumer as they’re referred to, of the Coastal Regional Center, one of five state-run facilities for adults with disabilities run by the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs.
P.J. Perea, a spokesman for DDSN, said Williams was able to leave the facility around midnight. A Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office report states dispatch was not called until 12:24 a.m. regarding a consumer that was “walking along the roadway.”
By the time the authorities arrived on the scene, it was already too late.
She was found in bad shape, with fractures in her spine, hips, arms and face requiring multiple surgeries. She was on a ventilator, and her family says she almost didn’t make it.
Williams’ aunt and guardian Ruby Jones didn’t realize how bad it was until she saw her in the hospital.
“That was a difficult moment,” Jones said. “I was hurt, I was disappointed. Surprised would not have been a term that I would have used for what was going on. I was angry.”
The family is thanking God she’s alive and recovering, but she still remains bedridden, unable to do even the smallest task.
“We figured with her being in the Coastal Center. She would have been safe. She would have been protected and this situation should have never happened,” Williams’s cousin, Nicole Nick, said.
Williams was hit about a half-mile from the main entrance and several blocks down the road near Alwyn Boulevard. Ironically, that’s the entrance to the subdivision Nick lives in.
She thinks of her cousin and that night, every time she drives home.
“I was trying to understand, how something like that could have occurred,” Jones said.
When Live 5 Investigates asked to interview an administrator of the department, a spokesman declined. When asked why, they said it was “due to the nature of the incident [the department] felt it best to release a statement rather than conduct an interview.”
For Charleston lawyer and state representative Marvin Pendarvis, this story is a personal one. His big sister, Janae Pendarvis lives at the facility, too.
He tells us she’s been able to escape twice this year.
“Janae could as very well been the young lady that was hit by a car,” he said. “There was one incident where she had gotten so far down Miles Jamison road that a couple saw her, she was in a gown, and it was clear that she was lost... she needed to be driven back.”
An email to management from a former administrator obtained by Live 5 Investigates accuses staff of failing to intervene when another consumer has a “meltdown.”
She asks if staff can work to prevent her from leaving the building in the future, as the resident making it to the road is “becoming an everyday situation” and she worries about this consumer’s safety.
Dozens of pages obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request detail the ongoing problems with staff at the facility, though some were completely redacted, the department citing “privacy” as the reason.
One incident details an altercation between staff and a consumer in January 2022, where the consumer reportedly pushed, grabbed and pulled their hair and eventually put a staff member “in a chokehold.”
Management formally scolded one staff member who stood aggressively with “balled up fists” at the consumer, and another staff member left the campus during this fight for “personal business.”
Both were given a one-day suspension.
Another employee was suspended for one day for “failure to report an allegation of abuse” for an unknown incident.
“My mom has expressed these same concerns time and time and time again. We always talk about, they seem to be understaffed [and] the staff that they do have, they don’t seem to be equipped to handle the patients that are there,” Pendarvis said.
READ MORE: 3 former state department of disabilities employees in Summerville charged by SLED
Over the Summer, SLED charged three former workers with “abuse of a vulnerable adult.”
Jones says her niece was the victim in that case, having been informed by SLED via phone.
“Of course, she always said things but because of her illness, sometimes they were kind of overlooked because... it’s not always accurate,” Jones said.
The agency reports surveillance video showed them hitting and kicking her, one watching it all happen. Williams reportedly received “minor injuries” at the time.
“I had no idea,” Jones said. “I really feel kind of hurt that she was not better protected.”
For these families, their hands are tied. Jones is unable to provide the full-time care that her niece requires access to. It’s a similar story for Pendarvis.
“The reality is there aren’t many facilities that are able to handle people with special needs and disabilities to the degree that my sister has them,” Pendarvis said.
Live 5 Investigates has previously reported concerns from staff members about understaffing, long shifts and little pay.
A year-long state audit of the department has been completed, at state Senator Katrina Shealy’s request.
She points out this is step one to finding a solution, for the hundreds of vulnerable people and their families who rely on the state.
“You can’t fix something if you don’t know what the problems are,” Sen. Shealy said.
It’s not scheduled to be published until early next year.
“The goal is to correct the problems, streamline the problems and make the agency more accountable,” she added.
As for Williams, her aunt now visits nearly every day, sometimes three times a day, to help bathe and feed her at the nursing home she’s recovering at.
Though where she will now call home is uncertain, her family is sure of one thing, she won’t be returning to the state’s care.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have the confidence that she will be safe at Coastal,” Jones said.
If you have a story or a tip you’d like for us to investigate, you can call our tip line 843-402-5678 or email us at tips@live5news.com.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.