Horry County assisted living facility closes after battle with DHEC

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) -The Oaks of Loris is closing its doors. It comes after The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control denied their request for a final review after their license was revoked.

As we’ve previously reported, documents we obtained through a Freedom of Information Act show DHEC revoked the license of Oaks of Loris due to multiple violations.

Some of these include dead bugs found in the facilities and unsanitary conditions inside residents’ rooms.

The living facility has been under new ownership through capture cares, which continues to make renovations throughout the building.

DHEC reviewed the facilities’ ‘requests for final review’, but on March 16th the agency declined to hold a final review conference.

This means the license revocation at Oaks of Loris is final.

After waiting for a court appearance date, the current staff, Capture Cares, decided to shut down the facility just last week.

Manager, Terry Mclean said, “In the midst of that, we just made the decision that the best thing to do for this community and the residents that’s here is just to go ahead and close it. Instead of continuing to operate under such a dark cloud.”

DHEC said in a statement to WMBF News:

“A facility is required to notify them in writing of the intent to close and the effective closure date. Within 10 days of the closure, the facility must notify DHEC of the provisions for the maintenance of the records, the identification of those residents displaced, the relocated site, and the dates and amounts of resident refunds. On the date of closure, the license must be returned to the department. There remains a pending contested case at the Administrative Law Court (ALC) concerning DHEC’s revocation of the license to operate Oaks of Loris.”

Oaks of Loris will remain open until June 3.

Residents are being relocated to other livings facilities across Horry County.

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