NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Five nursing home facilities in southeastern Massachusetts are closing their doors due to financial problems and are now in temporary receivership.
Attorney General Maura Healey’s office petitioned to place the facilities, all owned by New Jersey-based Skyline Healthcare, into receivership to protect the more than 200 residents, after the company stopped paying for vital services.
The five nursing homes, located in New Bedford, Dighton, and Fall River, have been ordered to close by May 24. One facility is no longer getting any food deliveries, two others have had phone service shut off, and another has run out of milk.
A spokesperson for the AG says receivership will help ensure staff members get paid and residents can remain as they work out where to go next.
Many residents don't want to leave.
“A residents room is not just their room, it’s a home. It’s heartbreaking,” said Steven Hasse, the executive director of Bedford Gardens, the facility in New Bedford.
Healey's office also said there are concerns about understaffing as some employee paychecks were either late or bounced.
Grace Williamson, the supervisor of nursing at Bedford Village, said it's not only logistically difficult, but it has also taken an emotional toll too. She said many of the patients have close relationships with the staff.
"This is not as simple as closing these doors," she said. "We love these people, okay? And every day a patient walks out of here, you don't understand what it's like to have a patient tell you, 'I'm sorry, I thought I was going to die here.'"
Skyline's phone number has been disconnected and its website is down. Billerica-based KCP Advisory has been appointed the temporary receiver for the next 60 days.
Cox Media Group