DECATUR COUNTY, GA — Memorial Manor nursing home in Bainbridge is undergoing renovations, and facility leaders say the improvements are about more than updated walls — they are about the people who call the place home.
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The project is supported in part by funding from the Georgia Heart Program, which allows taxpayers to direct a portion of their state income taxes to qualifying healthcare facilities. Hospital leaders say 51 rural hospitals across Georgia benefit from the program. In 2025, Memorial Hospital and Manor raised just under $2.5 million, with a portion of those funds helping support renovations at the nursing home.
Since the program launched in 2017, Memorial Hospital and Manor has raised $13 million through the Georgia Heart Program.
For Bainbridge native Ralph Spooner, Memorial Manor is a place filled with familiar faces, memories and a community he has known for years.
"It's home. Pure and simple, it's home," Spooner said.
Lisa Kelley, growth and development coordinator at Memorial Manor, said the response from residents and families has been enthusiastic.
"The residents are so excited. The families love it. Being able to bring your loved one to a place that you can be proud of," Kelley said.
For Spooner, the renovations are a welcome addition, but it is the sense of belonging that makes Memorial Manor special.
"I know where everything is. I don't have to guess. And the people here, lots of things I know or have known for a long time. And you can't beat that," Spooner said.
Renovations at Memorial Manor are expected to be complete in July 2026.
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