Boca Ciega Center

Boca Ciega Center, found in Gulfport, is a nursing home and healthcare facility with 120 beds that takes care of both short-term and long-term residents, and they keep services open around the clock every day, always saying they want to bring dignity, compassion, and respect to people who stay there, though there have been ongoing issues that are part of its history. The place is community operated, and while the staff members, with over 80 years of combined experience, offer skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, memory care, wound care, palliative and respite care, and help for folks recovering after hospital stays, the center has faced several citations for neglect, abuse, medication mistakes, infection control problems, and failing to keep up with some of the basics like giving enough food or updating care plans when medications stop. Residents have both private and furnished rooms with air conditioning, cable TV, Wi-Fi, and kitchenettes, and they have a choice of daily meals, house cleaning, laundry, and other assisted living services like help with daily activities and medication management. Boca Ciega Center has many community features, such as a fitness room, small library, computer center, gardens, outdoor space, a dining room, and a beauty salon, plus daily events, resident-run activities, day trips, and options for social engagement including non-medical transportation. Memory care residents get a secure environment with specialized programs. The staff often work with families and doctors to build individualized care plans and encourage residents and families to get involved, though lack of communication about health changes has caused problems in the past. The facility claims to support a welcoming and homelike space, putting focus on dignity and respect, but state inspections and complaints have highlighted care deficiencies, rough behavior from staff, residents entering rooms without knocking, lost belongings, improper care for catheters and wounds, and even cases of abuse and malnutrition. The last formal inspection was in 2022, and the most recent government ratings give Boca Ciega Center an overall 2 out of 5 stars, with 2 stars for health inspections and 3 stars each for staffing and quality measures, which suggest the care meets only some standards and falls below average in important areas. Boca Ciega Center offers post-acute and rehabilitation care, transition support for those returning home, and tries to provide restorative and supportive programs, but the mixed record on care, safety, and staff behavior makes it important for anyone considering it to look closely at current reports and reviews before making a decision.