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Nursing HomeMedicaid

Jo Ellen Smith Convalescent Center

Strong Medicare quality ratings; families often praise effective physical therapy team. Still worth an in-person visit.

4502 General Meyer Avenue, Old Aurora · New Orleans, LA 70131108 bedsLicensed & Active
4/5
Medicare
Inspection
Quality
Staffing
Google rating
3.9/5

based on 47 Google reviews

5
4
3
2
1
Jo Ellen Smith Convalescent Center Nursing Home in New Orleans, LA — Street View
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What this means for your family

While the physical therapy department is highly regarded for its effectiveness, the facility has faced serious recent allegations regarding basic hygiene and staff responsiveness. We strongly recommend that you conduct an unannounced visit during off-hours to personally assess the cleanliness and the speed at which staff respond to call lights.

Google Reviews

Google Reviews

47 reviews on Google
Jo Ellen Smith Convalescent Center receives highly polarized feedback, with some families praising the physical therapy team and staff friendliness, while others report severe concerns regarding hygiene and neglect. Recurring complaints highlight persistent unpleasant odors and slow response times to call lights, suggesting significant inconsistencies in daily care standards.

Quality Themes

Tap a score for details
FoodN/AStaff5.0Clean3.0Activities8.0MedsN/AMemoryN/AComms4.0ValueN/A

Strengths

  • Effective physical therapy team
  • Friendly and courteous staff members
  • Lively and engaging activity programs

Concerns

  • Persistent unpleasant odors throughout the facility (mentioned by 4 reviewers)
  • Slow response times to call lights and resident needs (mentioned by 2 reviewers)
  • Inadequate hygiene and resident care practices (mentioned by 2 reviewers)

Rating Trends

Tap a year to see what changed

234'16(2)'18(7)'20(3)'22(6)'25(4)'26(3)

Distribution · 55 analyzed

5
23
4
14
3
8
2
4
1
6

How They Respond to Reviews

0%response rate

Questions for Your Tour

  • 1I noticed the facility has a very active calendar; could you walk me through what a typical afternoon of activities looks like for residents?
  • 2Given the facility's size, what is your current process for monitoring call lights to ensure residents receive timely assistance when they need it?
  • 3We understand that maintaining a fresh environment in a large facility can be challenging; what is your daily routine for housekeeping and odor management?
  • 4With the physical therapy team being such a highlight here, how do you coordinate their sessions with the nursing staff to ensure residents are well-supported throughout the day?
  • 5What specific protocols do you have in place to ensure consistent hygiene and personal care standards are met for every resident?
  • 6How do you keep families updated on their loved one's health status, and what is the best way for us to communicate with the nursing team regarding daily care needs?

Personalized based on this facility's data


Key Review Excerpts

The Team goes Above and Beyond all aspects of Total Healing. The Atmosphere is Lively and Fun!

Rehab patient · 2021★★★★★

Staff don't come when you ring the bell no matter what's the problem it smells really bad in there don't send your love one there

Long-term resident's family · 2024★★☆☆☆

Don’t bring your loved ones here , they don’t fully change the residents , they low on supplies only uses one wipe to change someone , talks to the residents any kind of way

Long-term resident's family · 2026☆☆☆☆
Source: 47 Google reviews

Staffing

Staffing Hours

per resident/day · Medicare 2026
RN Hours
0.13hrs
18%
Registered nurses for medical care
Total Nursing
3.52hrs
86%
All nurses + aides combined
Staff Turnover
35%
Lower is better (< 30% = good)

Both RN and total nursing hours are below national benchmarks. This can mean less clinical attention per resident, so ask about their staffing plan.

Quality Measures

Quality Measures

Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures

Medicare Rating
4/ 5
Better Than Avg

15

measures

Worse Than Avg

2

measures

Long-Stay Residents
🚿

Residents whose bladder or bowel control got worse

↓ Lower is better
This Facility4.3%
Better than Avg
Here
4.3%
US
19.4%
LA
16.5%
Orleans
20.6%
💊

Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication

↓ Lower is better
This Facility9.7%
Better than Avg
Here
9.7%
US
19.5%
LA
23.2%
Orleans
14.1%
🚶

Residents whose walking got worse

↓ Lower is better
This Facility6.8%
Better than Avg
Here
6.8%
US
15.3%
LA
20.1%
Orleans
17.7%
🛏️

Residents needing more daily help over time

↓ Lower is better
This Facility7.2%
Better than Avg
Here
7.2%
US
14.4%
LA
19.0%
Orleans
17.2%
😔

Residents with depression symptoms

↓ Lower is better
This Facility0.4%
Better than Avg
Here
0.4%
US
12.1%
LA
2.1%
Orleans
4.1%

Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.

💉

Residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better
This Facility100.0%
Better than Avg
Here
100.0%
US
93.4%
LA
92.8%
Orleans
90.3%
Short-Stay Residents (Rehab / Post-Acute)
💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu

↑ Higher is better
This Facility94.9%
Better than Avg
Here
94.9%
US
79.8%
LA
76.2%
Orleans
61.4%
💉

Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia

↑ Higher is better
This Facility100.0%
Better than Avg
Here
100.0%
US
81.8%
LA
84.8%
Orleans
76.7%
💊

Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics

↓ Lower is better
This Facility4.2%
Worse than Avg
Here
4.2%
US
1.6%
LA
3.3%
Orleans
2.5%
Source: Medicare quality measures

US average from Medicare published data

Inspection History

Medicare Inspection History

3-year lookback · Medicare 2026

5deficiencies
Near state avg (8.3)
8 complaint-triggered
$5,055 in fines

Families have repeatedly filed complaints against this facility over care quality concerns, triggering 8 inspections that found deficiencies in medication management, care planning, and quality of care issues including nutrition and safety hazards. While all violations show correction dates, the recurring problems with pharmaceutical services across multiple years and ongoing complaint pattern suggest persistent operational challenges that warrant careful consideration.

Mar 12, 2026Routine
3
0578Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Resident Rights Deficiencies

Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.

0688Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.

0755Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.

Jan 15, 2026Complaint
2
0658Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Ensure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality.

0842Minimal · PatternCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.

Aug 5, 2025Complaint
1
0755Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.

Mar 19, 2025Routine
3
0755Potential for harm · PatternCorrected

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies

Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.

0656Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies

Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.

0693Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Ensure that feeding tubes are not used unless there is a medical reason and the resident agrees; and provide appropriate care for a resident with a feeding tube.

Sep 5, 2024Complaint
1
0689Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

Mar 7, 2024Routine
2
0690Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies

Provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel/bladder, appropriate catheter care, and appropriate care to prevent urinary tract infections.

0353Potential for harm · IsolatedCorrected

Smoke Deficiencies

Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.

Ownership & Operations

Who Operates This Facility

Owner / Operator

Jo Ellen Smith Convalescent Center

Organization Type

for profit

Chain Affiliation

Chain Name

Priority Management

Chain Size

38 facilities nationwide

Chain avg rating: 2.7/5 · Rank 8 of 38

Ownership & Management

Owners

Bauder Family Investments, LLC

Owner · Organization

25%

Fbgm, L.L.C.

Owner · Organization

25%

Boulware, Douglas

Owner

Bauder, Kelly

Owner (parent company)

6%

Bauder, Madison

Owner (parent company)

6%

Bauder, Parker

Owner (parent company)

6%

Boulware, Karen

Owner (parent company)

13%

Bauder, William

Owner (parent company)

Boulware, Steven

Owner (parent company)

Boulware, Steven

Individual is an Owner, Partner or Trustee of Any Adp of the Snf

Key personnel

Bauder Family Investments, LLC5% or Greater Security InterestFbgm, L.L.C.5% or Greater Security InterestPriority Management Group, LLCManagerBoulware, DouglasManagerBoulware, StevenManager
Source: Medicare provider data

Contact

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References & Resources

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