Ronald Burrell This is Me

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1. 1. heraldsun.com: Today's high could feel like 111 degrees

   www.herald-sun.com/durham/4-63 - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/25/2005   Last Visited: 7/27/2005

   The Herald-Sun left messages but was unsuccessful in attempts to talk to Ron Burrell, chief executive officer of Careamerica, at his office in Leland, and to Yolanda Morgan, identified as the Meadows local manager.

2. 2. The Daily News, Jacksonville NC

   www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/ - [Cached]

   Published on: 4/1/2005   Last Visited: 4/5/2005

   Ronald Burrell, the head of operations for Careamerica, told the commissioners that the company often moved into homes that had serious problems under previous management with the goal of correcting those problems. He also wondered why if people were worried, they continued to leave their family members in the home.
   
   "If our care is that bad, then if it were my parent, I would not allow them to stay there," he said.

3. 3. newsobserver.com | News

   www.newsobserver.com/news/stor - [Cached]

   Published on: 8/29/2004   Last Visited: 8/29/2004

   Ronald Burrell heads operations for Careamerica; he says the state doesn't pay enough for care.
   ...
   Ronald Burrell and Michael Elliott are the men behind Careamerica.
   ...
   Burrell, the chief executive officer, is responsible for operations, acquisitions and dealing with state and county regulators.
   
   Burrell, 48, has a long history in the long-term-care industry. Until recently, most of his work had been with nursing homes, which are licensed to provide medical care. Rest homes, or adult care homes, are designed primarily to serve people who need help with such day-to-day activities as bathing, feeding and dressing.
   
   About five years ago, Burrell was offered the chance to run a rest home in Lenoir County. The company has expanded quickly; Burrell and Elliott now run one of the biggest rest-home operations in the state, with more than 1,400 beds throughout Eastern North Carolina.
   ...
   Burrell said many of the homes he took over had long histories of problems with care.
   
   Echoing the complaints of many both in and out of the rest-home industry, Burrell said the state does not provide enough money for operators to provide the level of care required by state regulations. The General Assembly sets the rate paid to homes for residents on public assistance -- currently $1,066 a month. Medicaid also reimburses homes for personal care, which includes assistance for bathing, feeding and dressing.
   
   Burrell said he often delays paying his employees because the company does not have enough cash, and several vendors have filed court claims against the company for not paying bills.
   
   Burrell also said the state's method of regulating the homes, a joint effort by the state and county departments of social services, leads to varying interpretations of state rules.
   
   "We're in 14 different counties," Burrell said of his operation.
   ...
   "I don't think it denotes the running of a bad facility or of a bad company," said Burrell, who had a stack of letters from the families of residents praising his homes.
   ...
   Burrell and Susan Simms, who helps run the homes, also said there was often more involved in the incidents than county and state reports indicate.
   ...
   Burrell asked. "What do you do?"
   
   Burrell said he has asked county officials what to do in such situations.
   
   "They tell you, 'Well, you can't make them do this,' but they need to have a bath," Burrell said.
   ...
   State officials said they were satisfied that Burrell and state regulators had taken appropriate steps to fix the problems.