Over two years ago, Earl Everson came to Mercy Care Decatur Street for a regular checkup. His visit went as expected. The nurse checked his vitals, asked a series of questions, and left the room. When the doctor came in, Earl thought he would get a good report and be back next year. Instead, he…
Tarrance Eatman was looking for medical care and found a home at the Gateway Center where Mercy Care manages a clinic for shelter residents and the community. Tarrance had been battling with drug and alcohol abuse for years. “I had been in and out of programs only changing on the outside, not the inside.” Tarrance…
“Legwork is legwork,” says Torez Askew, a patient at Mercy Care and a recent hire through Shelters to Shutters. Atlanta’s continuum of care offers a major safety net for individuals who find themselves situationally homeless or otherwise needing of aid, but Torez will tell anyone, you must put in the work to fully reap the…
Caught in the gap between working part-time and not being able to afford private insurance on her own, Tammy Franklin Wideman has found a true medical home in every sense of the word at Mercy Care. “They are a lifesaver for so many of us in this predicament,” Tammy says. “They treat you like a…
Roy Martin walked miles home from the emergency room, his throat cut earlier that night in an altercation on the street that he miraculously survived. But the home he was returning to had no heat, water or electricity. This was the house he grew up in, his siblings no longer around. Not every night was…
A night to remember. Mercy Care’s dental team has had a great few weeks. The Wings for Mercy Ball cleared $221,000 to provide dental care to those who cannot afford it. The 1980s tribute band, Electric Avenue, that performed at the Ball had people on the dance floor until the very last minute of the…
Berry’s books. A patchwork quilt. Spending an afternoon in Adult Day Health at Mercy Care, a clinic for aging adults in downtown Rome, you might hear any number of stories and life wisdoms – as diverse as the people sharing them. Each patient carries a unique history. Though the nostalgia of seniors is often heard…
Journeys intertwine at Adult Day Health. It’s hard to know what to do when your loved one begins to change with dementia. Many caregivers press on and remain unaware of resources at hand. They might not reach out for help or know where to go. Thelma House first sought care in 2014 for her husband,…
Sterling Bishop, a 57-year-old man from Cincinnati, Ohio, flips proudly through the pictures on his phone as he shows off his beloved daughter’s wedding photos from last July. “I didn’t smile here though,” Bishop said. “I wanted to smile so bad, but I didn’t want to mess up her moment.” Bishop began having problems with…
Joyce Handspike first met Rochelle Butler, DDS, while she was in a dark place – on a roller coaster of alcohol and crack use and making a living by selling drugs supplied by her Godson. “My teeth were bad. Dr. Butler had to pull all of them,” Joyce said. Fast forward 9 years to early…
