Central Maine Nursing Home Forced to Close, Residents Have 2 Months to Find New Place to Live

America's inflated economy and chronic job openings has created major problems for all kind of businesses across the state of Maine- and now it has reached our nursing homes.

According to an article in the Kennebec Journal, one longtime Central Maine nursing home is preparing to close its doors for good siting workforce shortage and economic inflation as two of the primary reasons.

The KJ goes on to report that the Heritage Rehabilitation and Living Center in the town of Winthrop is preparing to shut down. Currently, there are 44 residents who call the facility home and they were told yesterday that they have just two months to find a new place to live.

The KJ explains that the facility offers 28 beds in their nursing wing and 24 beds on the residential side, all of which will be vacated within two months.

North Country Associates CEO, Mary Jane Richards, said in a statement about the closure,

“The Long-term Care and Assisted Living Communities, including Heritage, face challenges with a diminishing workforce and increased levels of inflation,” Richards wrote in the statement. “MaineCare has fallen further behind in keeping up with the costs of providing care, including hiring enough staff to meet the regulatory needs.”

Fortunately for residents and workers alike, it sounds like the Maine Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is going to step in and help current employees find new jobs and current residents find new places to live.

This problem, as sad as it is, is not just exclusive to Maine. The Kennebec Journal reported in their article that nationally more than 21,000 nursing home residents have been displaced since the COVID pandemic of 2020.

North Country Associates says they have more than 20 locations throughout the state of Maine. At this time, it's unclear how many patients and residents may have the chance to move to another one of their locations.