Candler Skilled Nursing Unit
5353 Reynolds Street, Savannah, GA 31405 · Chatham County · (912) 819-6262
22 certified beds, about 20 residents a day · Non profit - Corporation · Medicare and Medicaid since 1996
CMS high performing icon Inside a hospital Certified for Medicaid Certified for Medicare
Overall
5 of 5
Health inspections
4 of 5
Staffing
5 of 5
Quality measures
3 of 5
CMS Care Compare ratings, data as of September 1, 2026 · CCN 115610 · See it on Medicare.gov · Compare with other homes
The record in brief
At its most recent standard inspection, on March 26, 2026, inspectors cited 3 health deficiencies (the Georgia average is 5, the national average 9.2).
None of its 7 health citations since December 2023 was rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy.
CMS lists no fines against this home in the last three years.
Nurses and nurse aides worked 7.95 hours per resident per day, against 3.56 across Georgia and 3.86 nationally. Registered nurses accounted for 1.98 of those hours.
30.4% of nursing staff left within the year CMS measured (Georgia average 46.0%).
Health inspections
Federal rules call for a standard inspection at least every 15 months, plus a visit whenever a complaint is filed. Each mark below is one citation, colored by how serious inspectors rated it. How to read a citation.
Under each citation, the quoted text is the inspector's own summary from the federal statement of deficiencies (CMS form 2567), word for word apart from a privacy scrub; CMS removes residents' and staff names before it publishes the text. The full notes are on Medicare.gov.
312/23
103/25
303/26
Potential for minimal harm Potential for more than minimal harm Actual harm Immediate jeopardy Found on a complaint visit
Where its citations fall on CMS's grid
CMS rates every citation by how much harm it caused (rows) and how many residents it touched (columns). The count in each box is this home's, across all 7 health citations on file.
Severity
Isolated
Pattern
Widespread
Immediate jeopardy
0J
0K
0L
Actual harm
0G
0H
0I
Potential for more than minimal harm
4D
1E
2F
Potential for minimal harm
0A
0B
0C
March 26, 2026Standard inspection · 3 citations
- D Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, staff interviews, record review, and the facility's policy titled Documentation of Patient Care, the facility did not fully develop or carry out a complete person centered care plan for three of 21 sampled residents (R12, R40, and R41). This practice may have contributed to the potential for unmet needs, possible medical issues, or a reduced quality of life for these residents. Findings Include: Review of the facility's policy titled, Documentation of Patient Care, dated 10/17/2025, that the Policy Statement, revealed that It shall be the policy of the [Facility Name] to provide a process for recording patient information in a systematized, clear and concise record. Section Definition of Terms revealed .Care Plan-Addresses primary reason(s) for admission and provides estimated length of stay. Contains outcomes and interventions.1. [...]
- D Try different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) Correctly install and maintain the bed rail.
Inspectors wroteBased on observations, resident interview, staff interview, and facility policy, Restraints, the facility failed to ensure that residents (R) (R12, R40, and R41) of 21 residents was free from bedrail restraint. This deficient practice had the potential risk of psychosocial and limited physical activity. Findings Include:Review of the facility's policy titled, Restraints, dated 7/19/2024 revealed that the Policy Statement, stated that It shall be the policy of [Facility Name] to create a physical, social, and cultural environment limiting use of restraint to clinically appropriate and adequately justified situations. [Facility Name] supports all patients' rights to: be free from physical or mental abuse, and corporal punishment; be free from restraint of any form, imposed as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff; [...]
- D Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Inspectors wroteBased on observations, staff interviews, record reviews, and review of facility policies Isolation Categories, Central Venous Catheters, and Hand Hygiene), the facility did not ensure that nurses consistently followed infection control practices during peripheral venous catheter infusions for two residents(R) (R12, R50), peripheral catheter care for one (R) (R12), wound care for one (R) (R39), and bed linen handling for two (R) (R9, R12). These practices created the potential risk for infection due to contamination. Findings Include:Review of the facility's policy titled, Isolation Categories, dated 8/8/2023, section I. Standard Precautions revealed that A. Purpose: To prevent the transmission of infections which are spread by direct or indirect contact with infective blood or body fluids.3. Requirements: b. [...]
March 7, 2025Standard inspection · 1 citation
- F Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on observations, interviews, record review, and review of the facility's policies titled Sanitation Inspection and Checklist, Area and Equipment Cleaning, and Cutting Boards, the facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety. Specifically, the facility failed to clean the hand washing sinks, kitchen floors, preparation tables, shelves and drawers, stove, the grill, grill area, ovens, sides and front of the deep fat fryer, refrigerators, the steamer/convection ovens, [NAME], three food warmers, blast chiller, four double ovens, tilt kettle to include the pipes and six carts and replace cutting boards when scarred and discolored. The deficient practice had the potential to place residents receiving an oral diet from the kitchen at risk for foodborne illness. The facility census was 14 residents.
December 3, 2023Standard inspection · 3 citations
- F Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Inspectors wroteBased on observation, interviews, and review of the facility policy titled Uniform Dress Code the facility failed to ensure that dietary staff wore covering for facial hair and failed to ensure items in the dry storage area was labeled with expiration dates. This deficient practice had the potential to affect 21 of 21 residents receiving an oral diet.
- E Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Inspectors wroteBased on observations, interviews, and review of the facility policy titled Oxygen Therapy the facility failed to provide posting of cautionary and safety signs indicating the use of oxygen for three of seven rooms (530, 538, and 548) with residents utilizing oxygen. Review of policy titled Oxygen Therapy, dated 10/20/2020, did not indicate that signage was needed on doors for residents receiving oxygen therapy. During an interview with (Director of Nursing) DON on 12/2/2023 at 8:35 am who reported that R119 receives trach care BID PRN (twice a day/as needed) however he covers his trach to talk and only requires suctioning as need. It was further reported that R119 receives oxygen as needed but was breathing on room air. Observations on 12/2/2023 at 10:39 and 12/3/2023 at 10:12 am revealed no signage noted on door or surrounding area to indicate oxygen by resident in room [ROOM NUMBER]. [...]
- D Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Inspectors wroteBased on observations, interviews, and review of policy titled Infection Control Guidelines the facility failed to ensure infection control practices to prevent cross contamination related to entering/exiting a resident room without use of proper personal protection equipment (PPE) and failing to discard trash in a trash receptacle. This deficient practice affected one room (room [ROOM NUMBER]) of 21 rooms with residents.
Fire safety inspections
1 fire safety citation on file: 1 on December 3, 2023.
Every fire safety citation1 citation
- D Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
Fines and payment denials
CMS lists no fines or payment denials against this home in the last three years. The national average is 0.9 fines per home.
Staffing
Hours of care per resident per day, from the payroll records every home sends CMS. Higher means more staff time with each resident.
| Measure | This home | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| All nursing staff (RN, LPN and aides) | 7.95 | 3.56 | 3.86 |
| Registered nurses | 1.98 | 0.50 | 0.69 |
| All nursing staff on weekends | 7.81 | 3.10 | 3.42 |
| Nurse aides | 2.71 | ||
| Licensed practical nurses | 3.26 | ||
| Nursing staff turnover (share who left in a year) | 30.4% | 46.0% | 45.8% |
| Registered nurse turnover | 44.4% | 44.5% | 42.9% |
| Administrators who left | not reported |
CMS expects 4.09 hours a day for residents as sick as this home's (its case-mix figure). The staffing star compares the two.
Staffing by quarter, from daily payroll records
Every nursing home sends CMS its staff hours for each day (the Payroll Based Journal). Here they are added up by quarter. The latest quarter is the one behind the figures above. In January to March 2026, nursing staff hours per resident were 8.01 on weekdays and 7.81 on weekends, 2% lower on weekends (nationally, weekends ran 15% lower). Contract or agency staff worked 0.0% of nursing hours, against 5.3% nationally. Total nursing hours per resident went from 8.02 in April to June 2025 to 7.95 in January to March 2026.
| Quarter | All nursing staff | Registered nurses | Weekdays | Weekends | Contract staff share | Days with no RN hours | Residents a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan to Mar 2026 | 7.95 | 1.98 | 8.01 | 7.81 | 0.0% | 0 of 90 | 20 |
| Oct to Dec 2025 | 8.08 | 1.73 | 8.06 | 8.11 | 0.0% | 0 of 92 | 19 |
| Jul to Sep 2025 | 8.14 | 1.52 | 8.13 | 8.16 | 0.0% | 0 of 92 | 20 |
| Apr to Jun 2025 | 8.02 | 1.65 | 8.11 | 7.80 | 0.0% | 0 of 91 | 19 |
| United States, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.75 | 0.62 | 3.92 | 3.33 | 5.3% | 0.5% of days | |
| Georgia, Jan to Mar 2026 | 3.50 | 0.46 | 3.68 | 3.03 | 3.3% | 0.6% of days |
Hours per resident per day: staff hours in the quarter divided by resident days (the daily census CMS derives from resident assessments). Registered nurses include the director of nursing and RNs with administrative duties; aides include nurse aides in training and medication aides, as in CMS's own staffing measure. How these are calculated.
Quality measures
The measures CMS uses for the quality star. Lower is better for every one of them.
| Measure | This home | Georgia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication Short Stay residents, 2025Q2-2026Q1 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 1.6 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 23.9 | 25.0 | 23.8 |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit Short Stay residents, 20250101-20251231 | 9.3 | 11.6 | 12.0 |
Owners and operators
Legal business name: CANDLER HOSPITAL INCORPORATED.
| Name | Role | Type | Share | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Josephs Candler Health System Inc | 5% or greater indirect ownership interest | Organization | 100% | 04/01/1997 |
| Danello, Sherry | W-2 managing employee | Individual | 04/01/1997 | |
| Hinchey, Paul | W-2 managing employee | Individual | 01/01/1997 | |
| Schaack, Gregory | W-2 managing employee | Individual | 04/01/1997 | |
| Scott, James | W-2 managing employee | Individual | 11/01/2007 | |
| Danello, Sherry | Corporate director | Individual | 04/01/1997 | |
| Panzitta, Leonard | Corporate director | Individual | 04/01/1997 | |
| Scott, James | Corporate director | Individual | 11/01/2007 | |
| Panzitta, Leonard | Corporate officer | Individual | 04/01/1997 | |
| Schaack, Gregory | Corporate officer | Individual | 04/01/1997 |
As listed in the CMS ownership file, which names owners with a 5% or greater stake and the people and companies with operational or managerial control.
Questions to ask on a visit
Chosen from this home's own inspection record.
- How do you prevent falls and pressure injuries, and how are families told when one happens?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on March 26, 2026: "Try different approaches before using a bed rail. If a bed rail is needed, the facility must (1) assess a resident for safety risk; (2) review these risks and benefits with the resident/representative; (3) get informed consent; and (4) Correctly install and maintain the bed rail."
- What changed in infection control since the last inspection, and who on staff is the infection preventionist?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on March 26, 2026: "Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program."
- Can we see a week of menus and the kitchen, and how are special diets handled?Inspectors cited 2 problems in this area, most recently on March 7, 2025: "Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards."
- When is the care plan meeting, and can family attend it?Inspectors cited 1 problem in this area, most recently on March 26, 2026: "Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured."
Other nursing homes nearby
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- Savannah Post Acute LLC Savannah, 2.1 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 37 citations
- Riverview Health & Rehab Ctr Savannah, 2.8 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 27 citations
- Abercorn Rehabilitation Center Savannah, 4.4 mi · 1 of 5 stars · 20 citations
- Pruitthealth - Savannah Savannah, 4.6 mi · 2 of 5 stars · 30 citations
- Oaks Health Ctr at the Marshes of Skidaway Island Savannah, 6.5 mi · 4 of 5 stars · 5 citations
- Pruitthealth - Seaside Port Wentworth, 9.2 mi · 3 of 5 stars · 14 citations
- Resorts at Pooler Inc Pooler, 10.5 mi · 2 of 5 stars · 18 citations
Georgia contacts for a concern about a nursing home
These are the official offices in Georgia. NursingHomeClear cannot take or act on complaints.
- Inspections and complaints: Georgia Department of Community Health, Healthcare Facility Regulation Division, the state agency that inspects nursing homes for CMS and takes complaints about care.
- Resident advocate: Georgia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, 1-866-552-4464. The long-term care ombudsman is a free, confidential advocate for residents and families, set up under the federal Older Americans Act.
- State inspection reports: GaMap2Care, Find a Facility, where Georgia publishes its own records on licensed homes.
Common questions
- What is Candler Skilled Nursing Unit's Medicare star rating?
- CMS rates Candler Skilled Nursing Unit 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 for health inspections, 5 for staffing and 3 for quality measures (CMS data as of September 1, 2026).
- How many deficiencies did Candler Skilled Nursing Unit get at its last inspection?
- 3 health deficiencies at the standard inspection on March 26, 2026. The Georgia average is 5.
- Has Candler Skilled Nursing Unit been fined?
- CMS lists no fines in the last three years.
- Does Candler Skilled Nursing Unit accept Medicaid?
- It is certified to take Medicaid (CMS lists it as "Medicare and Medicaid"). Certification does not mean a Medicaid bed is open: ask the admissions office.
- Who owns Candler Skilled Nursing Unit?
- CMS lists 10 owners and managers. Legal business name: CANDLER HOSPITAL INCORPORATED.
Sources
- Ratings, staffing and fines: CMS Provider Information, released September 30, 2026, data as of September 1, 2026.
- Citations: CMS Health Deficiencies and Fire Safety Deficiencies.
- Owners: CMS Ownership. Penalties: CMS Penalties.
- Staffing by quarter: CMS Payroll Based Journal Daily Nurse Staffing, April 2025 to March 2026, summed by NursingHomeClear.
- Inspector summaries: CMS Full Statement of Deficiencies (CMS-2567 text), data as of September 1, 2026. Each quote is the part of the statement before the detailed findings.
- Inspection reports with the inspectors' full notes are on this home's Medicare.gov page.
- Something wrong on this page? Ask for a correction. We fix errors in our copy of the data; findings themselves can only be changed by CMS and the state.
- NursingHomeClear is independent and not affiliated with CMS, Medicare or any state agency. This page reports federal records; it does not rate, recommend or endorse any home, and it is not medical or legal advice.