HOULTON, Maine – One of two skilled nursing facilities for elderly people in the Houlton area is closing its doors, citing a shortage of nurses.
Gardiner Health Care Facility announced Thursday it will close its 38-bed nursing unit by Oct. 30.
The closure is due solely to a lack of qualified staff. There aren’t enough nurses in the state to care for the aging population, and many nurses are aging themselves, said a Gardiner facility official. Currently there are 27 residents receiving care at the facility, and right now no one knows where most of them will go.
Nursing shortages have forced several Maine nursing homes to close within the last year. The Island Nursing Home and Care Facility in Deer Isle shut its doors last fall, closely followed by the Country Manor Nursing Home in Coopers Mills and the Somerset Rehabilitation and Living Center in Bingham.
“A large percentage of nurses in this state are over the age of retirement. The ongoing pandemic has pushed a lot of nurses into retirement because it has been hard to meet the needs with so few people to share the load,” said Mary Jane Richards, chief executive officer for Gardiner Health Care Facility.
Even with high wages and creative programming, Gardiner can’t find the staff to meet the state and federal guidelines for a long-term care facility, she said. Having enough nurses to cover the necessary shifts has been difficult, like it has in so many other elderly care facilities and hospitals.
Staff aren’t sure where everyone will go but will work closely with residents and their families to place them as close as possible to their current location or near family.
“There are a few other nursing homes in the area and several residents, because of their care needs, will be able to stay on the residential care unit,” Richards said.
Jim Brown, owner of Madigan Estates Nursing Home in Houlton, said he would not likely be able to accommodate most of those 27 residents. As of Friday morning, Brown said 96 of the 99 beds in the skilled care wing were already occupied.
“It is certainly a difficult situation to be in and I sympathize with those families,” he said.
The next closest facilities would be the Aroostook Health Center in Mars Hill [located about 28 miles north]; Presque Isle Rehab and Nursing in Presque Isle [42 miles north]; Katahdin Health Care in Millinocket [70 miles south]; or Cummings Health Care Facility in Howland [about 90 miles south].
A nursing unit differs from a residential care unit because it requires registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, as well as certified nursing assistants and several other qualified positions.
“People that need to stay in a nursing unit require more clinical care and oversight,” Richards said. “People that stay in a residential care unit are more independent and do not require as much clinical care.”
Gardiner Health Care will expand its residential care unit once the nursing wing has fully closed. Currently the residential unit has 10 beds, but will be expanding to 40 with many more private rooms.
Staff are glad the facility will continue to serve the area by expanding its residential care component, which allows for many of the staff to retain their current or similar roles, Richards said.
“By expanding residential care services it will reduce our reliance on nurses, an occupation that struggles to keep up with demand in Maine and throughout the country,” Richards said.
The Department of Health and Human Services has been notified of the closure and is working with Gardiner’s representatives on relocation plans for all the residents whose care needs cannot be met at Gardiner.
Gardiner staff, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Long Term Care Ombudsman will be assisting residents and family members to choose new housing and care options. Informational meetings for families and residents have been scheduled.
