CT nursing home operator to slash hundreds of jobs in closure of two nursing homes

Hartford Courant – Saturday, December 28, 2024
By Kenneth R. Gosselin

State GOP lawmakers are sounding the alarm on the declining financial health of Connecticut’s nursing homes, after Athena Health Care Systems said it would layoff hundreds of workers as part of rapidly-unfolding plans to close two more of its skilled nursing homes in the state by late March, both in Bristol.

“These decisions impact hundreds of seniors and their caregivers, together with the health care workers at these facilities and their families,” according to a statement from Republican senators Kevin Kelly, Tony Hwang and Henri Martin.

“Hearings will be held to allow the public to weigh in on these decisions, but the trend is clear: the financial instability of nursing homes in Connecticut is getting worse,” the lawmakers said.

Athena told the state labor department earlier this week that as part of plans to close Sheridan Woods and Countryside Manor that it would layoff a total of 431 employees. In November, Athena requested permission from the state Department of Social Services to close the two nursing homes. At the time of the request, the two facilities had a total of 236 licensed beds and 218 residents.

According to filings with the labor department, Athena is still awaiting written permission to close the two Bristol nursing homes.

Athena’s president and chief executive Larry Santilli told the labor department in a letter that employees losing their jobs will be given “priority consideration” for open positions at other Athena nursing homes “and/or unemployment resources.”

“This decision was not made easily and was regrettably reached after considering every possible option,” Santilli wrote.

The jobs being eliminated include administrative staff, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, dining and laundry workers, certified nursing assistants and maintenance workers, among others.

The closures would leave Athena with six nursing homes in Connecticut, a major nursing home network downsizing for a company that less than two years ago was the largest chain in the state with 22 facilities.

Sheridan Woods and Countryside Manor would not close until all residents were transferred to other skilled nursing homes, Santilli told the labor department.

The Connecticut Mirror has chronicled the growing financial problems at Athena over the past two years and legislators’ concerns about how the fiscal troubles are impacting residents’ care.

The Senate Republicans said the financial erosion at nursing homes must be addressed.

“We need answers and long-term solutions,” the statement read. “As policymakers, we can either watch these closures adversely affect senior’s lives and health care jobs, or we can work in bipartisan fashion at the state Capitol to bring stability and predictably to long-term care. We must choose the latter course of action because seniors and labor deserve better.”

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