PATTEN (NEWS CENTER Maine) – Mountain Heights Care Facility will be closing its doors and ending its care of seniors in the Penobscot County by September.
Owner, Dr. Stephen Weisberger announced the closing that will impact 22 residents who now need new homes. Mt. Heights has been caring for Patten area seniors since the 1950’s and Dr. Weisberger has owned and operated since the early 1990’s.
The facility says their decision to close was made because the average occupancy has declined in recent years. Another contributing factor was the rise in minimum wage.
“The increase in wages has not been supplemented by an increase in our MaineCare rates which is where 90% of the revenue for Mt. Heights comes from.” Mt. Heights wrote on Facebook.
The community wants to do their part to prevent this from happening. They held a rally on Thursday afternoon to show their support for the residents and employees.
"This is their home and they plan to die here and they're being ripped out of their community and I think it's terrible."Danette Moody, a full-time CNA told NEWS CENTER Maine.
Although the town of Patten is concerned for their community, they are also concerned for their state.
"I was told that there's as many as 10 other nursing homes that could close this year so I mean that's not a Patten issue that's not about the building, that's not about the hourly wages." Patten Town Manager, Raymond Foss said.
Foss added, "the baby boom generation is going to need those beds so if we're in a tough time right now and they're deciding they have to close what do we do in a few years when we need every bed available."
The Department of Health and Human Services approved the closure and is working with the facility to find new homes for their 22 residents. But those residents don't want to go and they're devastated at the thought of leaving the place they've called home for years.
"Terrible, broken hearted, I just don't believe it's going to happen," 101-year-old Therlia St. Germain said.
"I've been here 9 years, I expected to die here." 92-year-old Margaret Duffy added.
The facility plans to cease all operations and close the building by September 1.
Mountain Heights Care Facility joins other shuttered facilities in Penobscot, Winthrop, Frenchville, Lubec, Jackman, and Jonesport.