During the first quarter of 2026, St. George Healthcare Center distinguished itself as one of the largest nursing homes in Dorchester County, holding the top spot alongside two other facilities, based on data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Oakbrook Health and Rehabilitation Center and Hallmark Healthcare Center also shared this ranking.
The facility offered 88 beds—10 more than the county average for the period—and cared for an average of 81.3 residents throughout the quarter.
CMS assigned St. George Healthcare Center an overall rating of 2 out of 5, which falls below the average rating of 3 reported for nursing homes in South Carolina.
By the end of Q1 2026, St. George Healthcare Center had incurred $42,793 in fines across two violations and had been subject to two penalties.
Dorchester County, South Carolina, had a total of three for-profit nursing homes during this period.
Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate a growing population of older adults, along with a decrease in younger age groups. Between 2020 and 2024, the 65-and-older American demographic increased by 13%, while those under 18 declined by 1.7%. Since 1920, the older adult population has surged from 4.9 million to more than 61 million in 2024.
A 2021 study reported that nearly half of older Americans—approximately 28 million people—are expected to need long-term services and supports, with over one-third anticipated to require nursing home care during their lifetimes.
“Living a long life is something that many of us want and could get,” said Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, an insurance education organization. “But when we live a long life, the chances of us needing long-term care increase exponentially. But when you need that type of care, there are limited options.”
| Rank | Nursing Home | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. George Healthcare Center | 2 |
| 1 | Oakbrook Health and Rehabilitation Center | 1 |
| 1 | Hallmark Healthcare Center | 1 |
| 4 | Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina-Summerv | 5 |
This article contains information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The data source is available here.
