July 18, 2003
Moultrie - A southwest Georgia retirement home has shut down. Owners gave residents 30 days to find a new home.
The last person living at The Colquitt Retirement Inn has moved out. The announcement to shut down made families scramble to make arrangements for their loved ones. One southwest Georgia woman says it's been tough for her dad with Alzheimer's.
The Colquitt Retirement Inn in Downtown Moultrie is packing up. Nearly 30 people have to change addresses. The historical building was sold. Dora Beadles asks her dad, "Have you been singing?" He says, "I haven't had time." Seventy-six-year-old Fred Mays has been busy getting to know his new home at Park Regency. He has Alzheimer's and diabetes. Beadles says, "Some days are very easy and other days you just want to cry because it's so hard."
Beadles had to make quick decisions. She adds, "We were given 30 days notice to move." The daughterhad to take her dad out of his comfort zone. She says, "With Alzheimers patients it's difficult to move and for any transition."
Southwest Georgia Bank owns the historical building and wasn't making a profit, but they just spent money a year ago renovating rooms and the kitchen. Beadles explains, "It sold for $200,000. I know my husband and other families would have loved the opportunity to purchase it, so we could keep our families there living happily ever after."
Mays has lived at Park Regency for more than a week now. It's been a tough adjustment, but his daughter says his smile is finally coming back. She sighs, "He's coming along."
Park Regency hired five Colquitt Retirement Inn employees and also took in 17 of their residents.
The building was sold to Hal Carter, an independent contractor in Sylvester. Carter is known for historical hotel preservation around southwest Georgia. The Retirement Inn used to be a hotel.
posted at 6:08PM by kathryn.simmons@walb.com
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