Garrison Geriatric: Waste Disposal Failures - TX
The facility is the Mildred and Shirley L. Garrison Geriatric Education center, located on 4th Street. Inspectors documented the conditions in the dumpster area adjacent to the loading dock and returned two days later to ask staff what had happened. The answers they got revealed a maintenance department down to a single worker and a housekeeper who had never received training on waste disposal.
The housekeeper, identified in the inspection report by her title, told inspectors the maintenance manager was the one responsible for closing the dumpster doors and keeping the area clean, though she said she helped sometimes. As for the recliner sitting on the ground behind both dumpsters, she offered a straightforward explanation: he probably forgot to close the doors, and the dumpsters were likely full, which is why the chair ended up outside. Then she said something that stood out. "No, I have not had any training on such task," she told inspectors, adding that she had never come across the facility's waste disposal policy. She acknowledged that leaving the doors open caused bad smells and that the recliner on the ground could cause falls for anyone, including residents, who came near the area.
The maintenance manager gave a different account. He said he knew he was responsible for properly disposing of the recliner and for closing both dumpster doors, and that he had been trained and had seen the waste disposal policy. His explanation for why neither had happened was simpler: he is the only maintenance manager right now, and there is a lot of work for him.
The administrator told inspectors that anyone who throws away trash shares responsibility for keeping the dumpster area clean, with the maintenance manager overseeing that work. He said he was not sure why the recliner had not been properly disposed of or why the doors were left open. He said all staff had been trained on the task and had encountered the policy.
The facility's own written waste management policy, though undated, was explicit. Dumpster doors must remain closed at all times when not in active use. Waste must be placed fully inside the dumpster, with no bags or debris left outside. After each use, staff are required to verify that lids are fully shut and side doors secured. The maintenance or environmental services department is responsible for routinely inspecting the dumpster area for cleanliness and compliance.
None of that had happened.
Inspectors classified the violation as causing minimal harm, but noted the failures placed residents at risk of exposure to germs and diseases carried by vermin and rodents. Open dumpsters draw pests. A recliner left on the ground in a loading area creates a fall hazard. The housekeeper said as much herself.
What the inspection captured, underneath the specific details of open doors and an abandoned chair, was a maintenance operation stretched past its capacity. One person responsible for monitoring, closing, and coordinating waste removal across a commercial facility, by his own account, simply could not keep up. The housekeeper filling in beside him had never been shown the policy she was supposed to be following.
The facility's written procedures described a system of routine inspections, vendor coordination, and verified door checks after every use. On the morning inspectors walked the property, both dumpsters stood open and a recliner lay on the ground behind them, in plain sight of the loading dock.
The administrator said he did not know why.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for The Mildred & Shirley L. Garrison Geriatric Educat from 2026-06-04 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Download the official CMS inspection PDF from Medicare.gov
Additional Resources
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
Editorial process: Inspection findings are extracted from CMS source documents and synthesized using AI, reviewed for factual accuracy against the original report by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: September 19, 2026 · Our methodology
The Mildred & Shirley L. Garrison Geriatric Educat in Lubbock, TX was cited for violations during a health inspection on June 4, 2026.
The facility is the Mildred and Shirley L.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.