Ollies Personal Care Home

Pros

• Laurel Lodge is a safe and inviting place for loved ones.
• Becky Bowman helped the family with arrangements and cost-saving suggestions.
• Becky Bowman is considered WONDER WOMAN by families at Laurel Lodge.
• Becky Bowman has been wonderful in helping families settle their loved ones into their new homes.
• Laurel Lodge is an amazing facility - clean, well-designed, and personalized to residents' needs with quality accommodations and great care.
• The administration and staff are friendly and professional.
• Laurel Lodge is a hidden gem and highly recommended for assisted living.
• Laurel Lodge has been an answer to prayers for families seeking care.

Cons

• One reviewer felt the care did not match the almost $6,000 monthly cost.
• There are a lot of issues with the facility's care and management.
• After the Oaks took over, care deteriorated: frequent staff turnover, declining cleanliness, higher prices, worse food, and removal of snacks and activities.
• Nurses and med techs could never get medications administered properly, and family members were not informed about issues.
• Residents and families were told not to come here, with complaints filed to the State agency.
• The reviewer wouldn't give any stars and said the owners don't know how to run an establishment.

Review

Laurel Lodge is a place that evokes a wide range of experiences, from heartfelt gratitude and relief to sharp warnings about what can happen when leadership and priorities shift. For families facing the delicate decision of choosing a safe, inviting place for a loved one, many of the stories here begin with a sense of relief: a facility that feels warm, approachable, and focused on care. Several reviews highlight the comfort of planning a transition with someone like Becky Bowman, who is repeatedly described as a supportive guide - someone who explains steps clearly, helps with cost-saving solutions, and makes families feel like they're part of a compassionate team. One reviewer even frames the moment of planning as a family reunion of sorts, praising Becky for making the process feel "like family" and for turning what could be a stressful shift into a smoother, more reassuring journey. The sentiment is echoed in remarks about transitions to Laurel Lodge being carefully managed, with a focus on timing, coordination, and a sense that the facility could be the right place when the time comes.

Beyond the administrative support, there is a strong sense of community and personal connection within Laurel Lodge. A recurring theme is the joy residents bring to their guests and visitors, including performers who say they always have "the best time" when they have the opportunity to entertain and interact with residents. The experience of staff and volunteers contributing to holidays, activities, and special occasions creates an impression of a lively, engaged environment where people look forward to daily life there. This warmth is not simply incidental; one reviewer notes that the staff "make holidays and other special occasions just that? special," and another volunteer describes the sense of meaningful relationships forged with residents and staff alike, culminating in a belief that the staff truly cares about those who call Laurel Lodge home.

But the stories are not one-note. There are strong cautions about care quality, management, and communications, especially in the wake of ownership changes. One reviewer describes a difficult period when the facility's cost - nearly $6,000 per month - did not seem to align with the level of care received, prompting a candid self-review and an admission that the review was initially harsh. Since then, this reviewer notes a transition to a new Executive Director and offers a tempered stance: they deleted their earlier one-star rating, moved to three stars, and pledged to raise the rating to five stars if improvements continue. They urge prospective families to visit regularly, spend time in the parking lot chatting with other families, and see for themselves how care is delivered - an insistence on personal observation and family involvement as a barometer of quality.

Other reviews frame Laurel Lodge as a kind of answer to prayers when a loved one's care needs are close to home. A mother is moved to a facility nearer Gainesville, with Becky Bowman again singled out for making the process feel familial and well-organized. The same accounts celebrate the sense that the transition to Laurel Lodge is supported step by step, with a hopeful outlook for the resident's thriving in her new environment. The sentiment is reinforced by phrases that extol Becky Bowman as a "blessing" and even as a symbol of extraordinary capability - "WONDER WOMAN" - in coordinating move-ins, setting up accommodations, and easing families through what can otherwise be a stressful ordeal.

There is also a clear acknowledgment of the facility's evolving leadership and the impact that has on day-to-day life. A reviewer who identifies as new to assisted living praises Becky's assistance and the staff's efforts to settle their loved one, underscoring that their initial impression is one of gratitude for the care team's patience and responsiveness. This thread of experience - new families entering Laurel Lodge and finding supportive, helpful staff - adds to the sense that the community can be a welcoming home when it functions well.

A notable thread runs through accounts of the Oaks era. One family, reflecting on a father who was a resident from July 2021 until early 2025, describes a stark shift after ownership changes to The Oaks. What began as a clean, well-run, engaging environment with good meals and meaningful activities reportedly deteriorated after the transition: frequent staff turnover, declining cleanliness, rising prices, and the removal of certain amenities like snacks and an ice cream machine. More troubling were issues with medications: questions about timely administration, inconsistent refills, and poor communication with families and even attempts to escalate concerns to corporate without resolution. The reviewer recounts a distressing emergency room call and a lack of timely responses to follow-up questions, ultimately leading to a clear, strongly negative assessment of management under The Oaks and a cautious warning to prospective families to investigate with state agencies before signing leases. This account stands in stark contrast to the more glowing portrayals and serves as a sobering counterpoint about how leadership changes can reshape the resident experience.

Yet even within this cautionary portrait, some reviewers maintain that Laurel Lodge remains capable of delivering outstanding care when properly led. The facility is frequently praised as clean, well-designed, and personalized, with residents enjoying rich activity calendars and attentive staff. Several accounts emphasize the potential of Laurel Lodge as a "hidden gem" and a place that, when well-managed, truly meets expectations for an assisted living or memory care community. A recurring invitation emerges from these voices: to give leadership time, grace, and patience as new directors step in, listen, and begin making the necessary changes. In particular, the arrival of a new executive director who has earned trust based on past success elsewhere inspires cautious optimism. The hope is that Carly Applewhite's open-door policy and reputation for addressing concerns with compassion and prompt action will translate into the improvements families are seeking.

Taken together, the collection of experiences paints a facility with undeniable strengths and undeniable challenges. Laurel Lodge is celebrated for its warm, welcoming ambience, the genuine care shown by staff and volunteers, and a resilient sense of community that can uplift residents and reassure families. It is also confronted by real concerns about consistency in care, communication, and operations under new ownership. The overarching message is nuanced: Laurel Lodge has the potential to be exceptional, especially with steady leadership, transparent communication, and ongoing attention to the needs of residents and their families. For now, many families are choosing to stay engaged, visit often, advocate for their loved ones, and watch closely for the signs that the care and environment are aligning with the promises of a safe, inviting, and well-run home.

Places of Worship

• New Bridge Baptist Church (0.4 miles)
• Mossy Creek Church (4.3 miles)
• The Torch Church of God (5.4 miles)
• Fairfield Baptist Church (5.9 miles)
• Southern Baptist Convention (5.9 miles)
• Level Grove Baptist Church (6.4 miles)
• Shoal Creek Baptist Church (7.2 miles)

Restaurants

• Cottage House Restaurant (2.2 miles)
• Zaxby's (5.9 miles)
• Sautee Trail Cafe (6.1 miles)
• Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits (6.1 miles)
• Arby's (6.2 miles)
• Burger King (6.2 miles)
• Hillcrest Foods (6.5 miles)

Physicians

• Cleveland Family Dental Center (6.2 miles)
• Frienship Health & Rehab (6.3 miles)
• Family Foot Care Center (6.5 miles)
• Demorest Family Medicine (6.6 miles)
• Dr Wheeler (6.6 miles)
• Longstreet Clinic (6.8 miles)
• Sanders F Stuart MD (6.8 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (6.5 miles)
• Ingles Market (6.6 miles)
• Ingles Market (6.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (7.2 miles)
• Cleveland Drug Company (7.2 miles)
• Griffin Drug Co. (7.3 miles)
• Arnold Drug Company (7.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Habersham County Medical Center (6.9 miles)
• Fmc-Habersham Dialysis Clinic (6.9 miles)

Parks

• Mount Airy Town Park (8.2 miles)
• Sam Pitts Park (8.4 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (8.7 miles)

Cafes

• Kami’s Place (8.8 miles)
• Sweetwater Coffee House (9.4 miles)