Senior living center battles bed bugs after WMBF Investigation

GEORGETOWN, SC (WMBF) - The owner of the assisted living facility battling a bed bug problem is not only speaking with WMBF News Anchor Heather Biance, she gave Heather a chance to scope out the facility herself.

When our story aired last Thursday we told you the owner of Oasis Residential Home hadn't had a professional exterminator out at the facility, but that's changed since our last visit.

"It's possible that it could be in most of the rooms, just in group living, it's hard to contain," explains Oasis Residential Home Administrator Mazie Graham.

Battling bed bugs is becoming a full-time job for her.

Graham explains, "It's actually been about a year, but it wasn't a big problem. It'd be one or two bed bugs here or there."

Since then, just when she thinks she has it under control, they resurface.

Graham says three months ago, she changed her tactic from treating whenever it became a problem to an aggressive plan: from using commercial grade chemicals, steaming the furniture, bombing the facility and putting plastic covers on the beds, this is now the drill twice a week.

"We even covered up the zippers on the plastic covers on the beds, because they say they can get in that way,"Graham says.

Oasis came under scrutiny last week when a former employee and someone who was contracted to clean the floors came forward, disgusted with the living and work conditions.

"With me working night shift from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., so I was getting bit also by bed bugs," explains former Oasis employee, Rochelle Greene.

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Senior living center battles bed bugs after WMBF Investigation