Mabry Health Care under new leadership
By Amye Anderson
UCBJ Managing Editor
JACKSON COUNTY – Nearly one year after auditors uncovered fraudulent expenses by the former president of the facility, Mabry Health Care & Rehab Center in Gainesboro has announced new leadership; with a familiar face at the helm.
Since late last month, Carolyn Olson, CFO, along with her father and founding member of Mabry Health Care, Thomas Mabry, have been working to repair the damage left behind by the former president, who allegedly listed more than $2 million in non-allowable expenses on its annual Medicaid cost reports for five consecutive years.
“We can’t help what they’ve done in the past,” Olson said. “All we can do is try and change it. It’s been a challenge.
“We would like to build it back up and see it thrive again to help the community and the county,” Olson added. “It’s needed.”
Olson, a graduate of Celina High School, moved back to the area in 2004 to be closer to her family. Mabry, who will serve as the facility’s administrator, retired from the Air Force and was awarded a bronze star for his service in Vietnam. He and his late wife were the founders of the facility.
Mabry came out of retirement and is foregoing a salary for his efforts to ensure the facility moves forward in the right direction.
“Our goal was to come in and try and straighten it up and keep it open for the residents and their families and the community and the employees,” Olson said. “We’re just trying to build it back up.”
Since taking back control of the facility, Olson says the response and support from the community has been encouraging.
“We’ve seen a lot of the volunteers that we used to have start coming back, the churches are coming back to help us,” Olson said. “It’s been a really good response from the community and the county as a whole.”
Following the discovery of fraudulent expenses uncovered last fall, changes have been made in terms of how employees can make purchases.
“Basically, everything has to come through me and get approved; before anybody can buy anything, before any money gets spent whatsoever, it has to get approved by me and Mr. Mabry both,” Olson said.
There are currently 52 residents – most of which are Medicaid patients – living at the facility, which is certified for 83. The facility also has a 28-bed assisted living unit, which is currently full. The facility currently employees 65 people.
Renovations for the facility are currently being considered, and CNA classes are being offered once again.
Mabry Health Care & Rehab Center was originally established on June 25, 1979 as the Theo Spivey-Jackson County Nursing Home by Thomas J. and Jettie M. Jones Mabry. Originally, it started as a 36-bed intermediate care facility. The facility’s name was later changed to Mabry Health Care & Rehab Center to compliment the founders, the Mabry Family.
