Officials with the legislative delegation of Washington County recently met with representatives from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and other safety and health officials to discuss the recent closure of Calais’ only licensed nursing home.
According to BDN Maine, the closure eliminated more than 50 beds belonging to the Atlantic Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Calais. Not only were residents kicked out, but more than 90 health care workers were left without a job.Currently, there are nursing homes that are closing all over the country. All of these closures highlight what challenges the industry is facing. Nursing homes are typically run by large chain corporations and are for-profit organizations. To help to keep your elderly family members safe, you’re urged to do your part and to lookout for the signs of neglect or abuse among elderly residents when you visit a nursing home.
Our Bangor nursing home abuse attorneys understand state and federal budget cuts have further exacerbated the issue. Choosing the right nursing home for a loved one is a critical first step to ensuring they will live out their days with the peace and dignity they deserve.
To helpmake sure that elderly residents have a place to turn and that these healthcare workers get back to work, officials in the area are looking at various low-interest loan programs.
“I was impressed by the level of commitment from local officials to ensure that there is a nursing facility presence in this community,” said Kenneth Albert, director of the state’s Division of Licensing & Regulatory Services.
The closure of the facility came as a surprise to the community. Officials are trying to open a new location in Ellsworth, which is 90 miles southwest of Calais!sResidents and patients of the facility were left stranded and perplexed, wondering where they’ll go next as there’s been a chronic scarcity of nursing home vacancies throughout the county.
According to the CEO of First Atlantic, Kenneth Bowden, the closure was purely based on finances. The facility was costing more than it was bringing in. At one point in the decision, he suggested that the facility turn itself over to the city as another kind of nonprofit entity so that it would be eligible for higher levels of state reimbursement for resident care.
Before choosing a nursing home in the state of Maine, NursingHomeRank.com suggests the followingt:
-Visit potential nursing homes as much as you can before making a decision.
-Get input from the entire family. More people may be able to point out more bugs in the system.
-If you hear of any complaints or concerns from anyone, make sure you talk with the facility to get the entire story and to help to raise awareness.
-Make sure to look at the ratings of each potential home. Get consumer reviews and ask around.
-Be sure to visit homes during off-peak hours to see how many individuals are staffed and how much attention residents are getting.
-Consider cost, location, bed availability, quality of care, need and provision of services before choosing a home.
The injury attorneys at Peter Thompson & Associates know the rights of victims who have been injured in Bangor, Portland and elsewhere in Maine. Call for a consultation and advice at 1-800-804-2004.