Emerald Health Care of Ashe

Pros

• The Margate team was encouraging, supportive, and knowledgeable.
• The nursing staff delivered high-quality care, with Tammy standing out for her exceptional attentiveness.
• The staff and leadership were wonderful.
• Margate provided exceptional care for residents, including the great aunts mentioned.
• The rehab team delivered outstanding physical and occupational therapy, helping patients regain mobility and confidence.
• The rooms were clean and comfortable, and the staff were consistently kind and helpful.
• The facility maintained a family-like atmosphere that made residents feel welcome.
• Families appreciated clear communication and compassionate support from the staff during difficult times.

Cons

• One or more employees at the facility stole the grandfather's possessions during his stay, leaving the family with only a few belongings.
• The facility did not notify the family of the death; they learned from a hospice nurse instead.
• The staff could not locate several personal items (expensive electronics, a video device, clothing, a nice blanket and pillow) and instead provided only a cheap blue hospital pillow.
• The reviewer warned others not to place their loved ones there.
• A patient waited almost an hour for assistance to use the bathroom.
• Hygiene was neglected; the patient was not cleaned up.
• The food was served cold and nasty.

Review

A steady chorus of voices paints Margate as a place where rehabilitation and daily care feel personal, attentive, and hopeful. Across numerous experiences, residents and families consistently praise the rehab program for its physical and occupational therapy, noting real progress and a level of encouragement that helps patients push through challenging days. One husband's inpatient stay is highlighted for remarkable gains in mobility and strength, thanks in large part to dedicated therapists who were described as knowledgeable, supportive, and upbeat. The nursing care accompanying that therapy is also repeatedly commended, with specific shout-outs to bedside caregivers like Tammy, whose attentive, compassionate approach stood out to multiple families.

Management and leadership emerge as a touchstone in several reviews. Grayson Hill, in particular, earns high marks for his caring demeanor and his ability to listen and respond quickly to family concerns. In one heartfelt note, a family member describes how within minutes Grayson addressed worries, leaving a lasting impression of effective, empathetic leadership. The sentiment is echoed by others who emphasize a sense of being heard and respected, a "family atmosphere" that makes everyone feel welcome and supported. These threads of supportive management and responsive communication weave through many of the positive narratives.

Beyond therapy and clinical care, reviewers frequently spotlight the overall environment at Margate. Clean, well-maintained rooms and a housekeeping staff that keeps spaces tidy are consistently mentioned, contributing to a calm and respectful atmosphere. The community feel is emphasized not just by direct care teams but by front-office staff, social activities, and a culture that treats patients like family. The sense of collaboration among departments - physical therapy, nursing, aides, and administrative teams - helps patients feel seen, valued, and involved in their own care journey.

Several families recount long-term and rehab experiences that read like a sequence of small, daily victories. Two great aunts received care described as thorough and compassionate, with staff who became almost like family to the family over time. The consistency of attention - from housekeeping to clinical teams - helped keep them comfortable and well cared for, and the staff's ongoing communication allowed relatives to stay informed and reassured. Such narratives reinforce Margate as a place where the care team's everyday decisions translate into meaningful quality of life for residents.

Individual stories of recovery and resilience abound. A husband recovering from a serious fall and subsequent therapy notes a collaborative effort across rehab and long-term care to address exercise, speech therapy, and nutrition, with the entire staff's kindness and attentiveness shaping his confidence in the road to recovery. Another account highlights a patient who, after a series of surgeries, was supported by a rehab crew that worked tirelessly to restore mobility, with therapists who showed daily dedication and a front office team that made admissions smooth and painless. The overarching message in these accounts is that Margate's teams are not only capable but continually motivated to help people regain independence and return home stronger.

The most pointed reflections include both praise and caution. Positive feedback continues to roll in for Margate's therapy teams, whose work is credited with helping patients regain strength, improve mobility, and enjoy more active, engaged lives. In some stories, residents express profound gratitude for being treated with respect, kindness, and dignity, and for the sense of normalcy they are able to reclaim - whether through improved physical function, meaningful social interactions, or simply feeling safe and well cared for. Yet alongside these affirmations, there are warnings and warnings-to-others from a minority of experiences that remind readers that care quality can vary and that oversight is essential.

A troubling episode surfaces in one review: a family alleges theft of a beloved relative's possessions during a final illness, followed by a lack of timely communication about the death. The family's account is blunt and harrowing, blaming a specific breach of trust on the facility and vowing to pursue accountability. This narrative stands in stark contrast to the other glowing testimonials and underscores the importance of consistent safeguarding, transparent communication, and post-death family support. It's a sobering reminder that even highly regarded care environments must continually safeguard patients' belongings and keep families informed in difficult moments.

Despite the breadth of praise, another family offers a candid contrast to the more favorable experiences, describing a transition from a different nursing facility to Margate as a turning point for their loved one - greater happiness, better attention, and notably improved appetite and weight. The tone here is personal and hopeful, illustrating how Margate's care culture can positively alter a resident's mood and quality of life when other facilities fall short.

Among the most critical reflections is a strongly negative review that enumerates a string of perceived shortcomings: long waits for bathroom assistance, inadequate hygiene, missed oral care, delayed pain management, unhealthy bed positioning, absence of in-room phones, and cold, unappealing meals. The reviewer characterizes the overall experience with harshly negative language, likening it to a dog pound and concluding with a plea that families should hesitate before placing loved ones in this setting. This stark testimony serves as a counterpoint to the many positive stories, illustrating that for some individuals and families, serious gaps persist and require urgent attention and corrective action.

Places of Worship

• Big Laurel Christian Union (11.8 miles)
• Southern Baptist Convention (12 miles)
• Southern Baptist Convention (13.6 miles)
• Sonshine & Reign Ministries (15 miles)
• Southern Baptist Convention (15.5 miles)
• Cox's Chapel Grange, No. 954 (16.2 miles)
• Southern Baptist Convention (17 miles)

Physicians

• Whitetop Community Health (15.4 miles)
• Our Sparta Blue Ridge Medical Group (19.9 miles)
• Blue Ridge Cardiology (19.9 miles)
• Mountain Youth Academy (21.2 miles)
• New River Family Medicine (21.7 miles)

Cafes

• Brown's Cafe (17.8 miles)
• Sparky's Coffeehouse (19.4 miles)
• Backwoods Bean Coffee Shop (19.4 miles)
• New Zealand Cafe (19.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Suba's (18.9 miles)
• The Pines of Sparta (19.1 miles)
• El paso restaurante (19.2 miles)
• Horizon Bistro (19.4 miles)
• Muddy Creek Cafe (19.5 miles)
• Pines Restaurant of Sparta (19.5 miles)
• Main Street Pizzeria & Taphouse (19.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Johnson County Hospital (19.1 miles)
• Alleghany Memorial Hospital (19.9 miles)

Pharmacies

• Boone Drugs (19.2 miles)
• Epic Pharmacies (19.5 miles)
• Halsey Drug Company (19.5 miles)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (19.5 miles)
• Walgreens (19.6 miles)
• Walgreens (20 miles)
• Woody's Pharmacy (22 miles)

Parks

• Crouse Park (19.6 miles)
• Town of Mountain City Recreation Building (19.8 miles)
• Ralph Stout Park (19.9 miles)
• Damascus Town Park (23.7 miles)

Theaters

• Heritage Hall (19.7 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (19.9 miles)
• Sportsman's Choice Taxidermy (24.1 miles)