CALAIS, Maine — The Atlantic Rehabilitation and Nursing Center has been closed earlier than expected, leaving 92 health care workers jobless and dozens of former nursing home residents now living elsewhere.
First Atlantic Healthcare, the Portland-based company that owns the 52-bed facility, planned to close the facility July 6, but all residents were able to find new placements sooner than expected. The empty facility was shuttered on Thursday, June 21.
Atlantic Rehab was the only licensed nursing home in Calais. Residents and their families didn’t learn until February that closure was likely, even though state approval had been granted in October 2011. Ever since, residents and caretakers have been scrambling to find space in other Washington County facilities, virtually all of which now have waiting lists.
First Atlantic has twice received permission from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to close the facility as part of the company’s plans to build a new nursing home in the Hancock County community of Ellsworth. Calais city officials appealed the original decision, but to no avail.
Traci Place, a business agent with Teamsters Local 340, which represents about half of the workers now jobless, termed the closure “the end of the end,” after months of failed efforts to find a way to maintain operations.
“It’s pretty disheartening, and it was a sad day,” she said. “There are lots of heavy hearts.”
Despicable and tragic. 92 jobs lost and massive upheaval for elderly people, many of whom no doubt worked hard all their lives, and now are being penalized for getting old.
Calais is already suffering, and now with 92 jobs lost in this small town, the LePage strategy has brutally punished Washington County. This is cruel, it is senseless, and for all you Christians out there, there is NO compassion in this. It is pure victory for Mammon over Jesus.
Anyone who thinks that the ultimate judge is God, not LePage, not cash, should be realizing this was utterly wrong. It is a clear sin. And the majority of Americans are supposedly Christian.
And anyone who practices compassion for any reason at all should realize this was horrendous. The only people who could like this are those whose life is dominated entirely by calculations of coin. But they are blind because this monstrosity doesn’t help our economy at all.
I am saddened that our collective head is so deep in the sand that we would think this is necessary, wise, or just. Congratulations Republicans, 92 jobs lost and a little town slammed. Right across the border is Canada, with no signs of poverty, medical attention for all, a booming economy and people who don’t seem to hate their poor and defenseless.
Pathetic.
You have it absolutely right! The almighty dollar has worked its magic in Augusta again. This is criminal, leaving Washington County as a “ghost town” must be what Augusta wants.
Not sure what religion has to do with this but I like your energy.
You can make the same argument without religion or faith. Give it a shot!
this was planned before Lepage took office. This was the owner trying to save a buck or two. Politics has little to do with this.
The owner milked that nursing home dry from the day he bought it. He didn’t put one red cent into the upkeep and maintanence that wasn’t absolutely neccessary. Let the physical building deteriorate to the point where it needs to be torn down. He has run it like a 3rd world slash and burn farmer.
What has Governor LePage got to do with it? The article says that the [privately owned] Atlantic Healthcare twice asked and received permission from DHHS to close the facility. That means that Atlantic Healthcare initiated the closure action. True, it’s a sad thing for all those residents who had difficulty finding other accomodation and for the employees who are not now able to work in the healthcare field in Calais as their chosen occupation. And it’s very likely true that the bottom line was the deciding factor in Atlantic’s decision to close the Calais facility.
Why don’t you buy the facility and operate it if you feel as badly as you do?
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is the ultimate judge in America. Still you were right in that is isn’t LePage. This is what LePage’s plan is for everyone. He wants to privatize mental health and the elderly. As a private corporation, they were well with in their rights to close this facility. Just as the owner of the local McDonald’s can shut the door anytime they like. The D.H.H.S. gave them the go ahead, First Atlantic did nothing wrong. Our Canadian cousins you refer to have a hold over their nursing homes via socialized healthcare. It is debatable as to which system is better. The Canadians have longer waits for services, and pay heavy taxes (which they avoid by shopping in the U.S.)
It was bad for those older folks who had to move, and for those that lost their jobs, but First Atlantic broke no laws. On the good side, this means that LePage looks bad, and anything that makes him and the Republicans look bad is good news for this fall. Down side is he will get blamed for it when this one actually isn’t his fault. But he has messed so much stuff up no one will really notice this wasn’t his fault.
I agree with Woodbooger, keep up the energy, but leave your invisible friends out of it, and people will take you more seriously.
Governor LePage appointed Mary Mayhew to head DHHS. She has twice made deals with First Atlantic. In Calais and Blue Hill (Penobscot NH).
Just a side note, Canadians don’t avoid paying taxes by shopping in the US.. they still have to pay the tax when crossing back.
Maine is open for business. Too bad that Washington County is the bastard child of Maine. Not enough voters to make it worth the while of the Republican administration to worry about losing. Therefore it is OK by them to cut the thin rope holding seniors up in Washington County. Governor LePages hand picked head of DHHS has twice made deals that favor First Atlantic. Of course there will be no call for an investigation into the tight relations between Mary Mayhew and First Atlantic. Too busy trying to find voter fraud.
Plenty of poverty on the other side of that border and all over the Maritimes Spruce. Only one of the many things you are wrong about here though so don’t take it too hard.
So true….LOL
This is Capitalism at its best or worst as the case maybe. Has nothing to do with the bible, politics or anything else. This is how our country was set up and whether it hurts someone or not it will continue to happen. Doesn’t make it morally right that the residents and workers loose out. The owner has a right to do this. Yes it stinks and all the recourse that we have is to complain about the situation at hand. So remember this, come November that one player is for all business and one player is for the citizen and their well being. Just saying that there is a domino effect at work here. What is suppose to happen doesn’t always make it right.
First off this is a BUSINESS! Thus profit driven. So if you do not like the way the owner ran it then you use your money and run it. The fact remains that the people you should be upset with are the families who put there parents in this place that is what is truly horrendous. You wan tto express outrage do it to those who abandon there family members to these places instead of keeping them at home with them.
Then you somehow blame Lepage for this? He does not own it nor have any stake in it. He has signed into law nothing that woudl hinder business in Maine like those who ran the state for the past 40 years did to the point of driving out almost every major business in the state.
Also the majority of residents where being financed by us taxpayers anyway!
This is America not Canada we are a free country they are not. There gov is much larger then ours is and by design our country was formed to have a government by the people not over the people.
First of all Maine_gun_guy…No one wants to put their parent in a nursing home they do it because it is necessary for the safe being of their loved one, secondly yes First Atlantic is a business and if they choose to close a failing business then do so BUT what gives Mary Meyhew the soul power to determine that the bed rights need to leave Washington County and go to Ellsworth, thus no opportunity to buy the existing building or any other in Washington County until another Nursing Home in Maine closes and a Certificate of Need is approved to open a nursing home in Calais! (Do some research before putting in your 2 cents worth!) Thirdly…These residents have worked, retired paid their taxes the same as you and I and served their time in the military, raised their families and now need a safe home to spend their final days close to family and friends not 100 miles away! Yes 92 employees are out of work but if you ask any one of them…Not one is concerned about themselves it is the Residents that matter!!!
That’s BULL. People put there parents n home because there life is to busy. I moved my father here form MD to after he had hos third stroke and needed someone to watch over him. the thought of a “home” never entered my mind. There are nurses who can come to your home if needed. So do not try the there is not choice crap on me. I have volunteered for hospice for MANY years and have seen the people who’s families do not have the time for them.
Next being it is a busniess the owner or managers have the RIGHT to close it anytime they WANT. Again if YOU or other do not like it then YOU spend YOUR money and buy it and run it at YOUR expense.
The residents do matter. That is my whole point. They deserve RESPECT. They deserve to be cared for by there family in there home if they so choose. I personally find it offensive that people put there relatives into these places then visit them when they can.
As for Whine those days are not gone! There are many folks who do just that. Of course it requires work and effort. I supported my wife she worked but that was because she WANTED to. I worked HARD I succeeded by doing so I supported my wife and daughter bought a home cars and toys to enjoy life with all without ever taking welfare of any type. So if you require two incomes in YOUR home then maybe YOUR need to get a skill you can market and stop blaming others for your shortfalls.
It sounds like you think elderly people should have respect, but it is okay with you if a business owner doesn’t have respect for them. In other words, your morality is secondary to money.
Until morality comes first, America will continue to sink down.
The true lack of morality here is those who left there family to be cared for by MONEY instead of FAMILY! So who is truly lacking respect?????
Clearly Mr. Maine gun doesn’t know what he is speaking of. Gone are the days where familys live together, Mom’s stayed home caring for the kids then caring for the parents later in life. The fact is that we are living in a two income time & most of the families would have to quit work to care for their loved ones; some of our elderly are total physical care & many are not able to do the lifting & positioning; many have dementia & can wander out of the home, put plastic dishes on burners, put themselves & families in harms way & I could go on. These poor souls are the victims here,victims of aging, something we all may face if we are unlucky enough.. I would rather my tax dollars go towards the aging than into some welfare queens pocket who always has a sidekick loser living with/off her or the thousands of inmnates who are so reckless with their lives they end up taking millions of tax dollars from the system to support their ungrateful behind years on end.
C’est la vie
The reason everything appears great in Canada sprucy is they don’t need nursing homes in Canada they just let em die early cheaper that way the hospital is a great place to go to get bandaifs or die
Average Life expectancy in the USA: 78.1 years
Average Live expectancy in Canada: 80.7 years
Source: World Bank (via Google)
I used to work with a guy who’s elderly mother lived in New Brunswick. She was on a waiting list that was a minimum of 18 months long. So she is still suffering from pain. And with the taxes they pay,what are they getting? Longs wait for healthcare they need. Can you imagine waiting this long to relieve back pain?
There are long waits for healtcare here as well. Try getting a rheumatologist appointment in central or northern Maine. Looking at 8 month waits. This is just one example, there are many others.
Obviously you have never visited a nursing home in Canada. I would like to recommend that you do. They are well staffed and took excellent care of my late mother in-law. Now go back to Fox.
Canada= 80.4 years
USA+ 78.3 years
Both rising
Bandaids
First Atlantic Healthcare did this? Sounds to me like there was no care at all.
So sad that Maine isn’t able to take care of their older folks…I know this is going to get lots bad comments back but perhaps if we didn’t pay so much to COMPLETELY (housing, food, medical, daycare, etc) take care of young adults who have several children that they have no desire to FINACIALLY care for and that are very capable of going out and doing something to help themselves then maybe we’d have more money to help with those that are no longer capable of working and contributing — most of whom probably worked everyday of their lifes and paid into the system that is now turning their backs on them.
Sad to hear about all those who lost jobs.
More Maine jobs, bye bye. Thanks LePage, you are doing such a great job. Managing Maine into a Depression. You must have taken lessons from George Bush on how to start a Depression.
This is absolutely disgusting and really absurd. The US can spend $2 million a minute in Iraq/Iran/Yemen/where ever to bring misery to foreign folks…..but can’t/won’t/why bother take care of our…Look at all the older generation has been through and we treat them like this…….and I suspect that this is only the tip of the iceberg….We have NO leadership on this issue….None…Nada, Zilch…
We’ll see how many of you people in Calais vote for Sen. Raye over Rep. Michaud. How did he represent you all? Apparently he didn’t care either and as President of the Senate he could have done something.
Yeah and Rep Michaud has 0 as in ZERO rating from the business community/ and this was a UNIONIZED private business . When the union came in the writing was on the walls.
Yep, the union came in because of the way the employees were being treated. The previous managers’ actions brought the union in. Now go back to watching Fox.
And now they are close…
They are closed because of Corporate Greed and LePages Policies. Maine is open for Business remember. Slashing funding in State Gov’t was the final straw.
clueless
Democrat Michaud voted with the president to force Obamacare down our throat whether we liked it or not. Just ask him to explain what was in the bill to pass this healthcare, he doesn`t know because he didn`t read it and just said yea.
I don’t understand why the state regulates the number of beds in the first place. Shouldn’t it work on supply and demand? Every community needs a place like this to help the infirm and those who need assistance for longer term recovery than the hospitals can supply.
There were many residents whose family members were able to come and visit their loved ones to offer encouragement and support. It’s a shame that many won’t be able to visit now, because of the greater distances to travel. It’s heart rending to have to say goodby to a parent, spouse or sibling knowing you’ll never see them again while they are still living.
This is where CORPORATE CONVENIENCE supercedes PERSONAL NEED AND HAPPINESS. To take a facility that was running well out of an impoverished area and make all those Residents move to unknown areas and put so many out of work for the convenience of a corporate plan. Despicable.
I will try to help you understand. You can build a building but there is NO BED COUNT…Thanks to Atlantic Rehab and Mary Mayhew.
The building was old, Medicare/Medicaid reimburement was apparently too low. But the staff was excellent, dedicated and caring even in that situation. It is so essenential to be able to spend time with a loved one who can no longer be cared for at home. The distance to other skilled nnursing facilities is daunting when the cost of fuel and/or the inability to find transportation so far away limits this. Contact with your family, however incapacitated you may be, is the only saving grace of institutional life. And any employer closing its doors in Washington County is yet another insult to the economic survival of this area.
Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Commissioner Mary Mayhew works
at the “pleasure of” Gov. Paul LePage and she will do nothing without his approval. This clearly not only makes the decision to close Atlantic Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (ARHN) in Calais “political”, but puts it squarely on LePage, as well.
When First Atlantic Healthcare requested the Certificate-of-Need (CON) from DHHS to close and transfer the number of beds in Calais to its multi-million dollar expansion in Ellsworth Commissioner Mayhew not only agreed to the CON, but also to First Atlantic’s request to keep the CON for Ellsworth “secret”. No official notification was given at that time to the employees at the Calais facility or the City of Calais municipal government.
The timeline of the closing of ARHN is an indictment of First Atlantic Healthcare, Commissioner
Mayhew, and Gov. LePage. The capital letters on timeframes and dates are my emphasis:
The BDN reported on JANUARY 24, 2012 that “One facility staffer, who asked not to be named, said First Atlantic Healthcare ISSUED ORDERS ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO TO STOP ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS AND RESIDENTS. No reason was tendered, the source said, and six applicants have been turned away since then.”
“In a NOV. 17, 2011, analysis prepared by (Phyllis) Powell (DHHS manager of the state’s certificate of need program) and two state senior health care financial analysts, the proposal put forth by (Kenneth) Bowden (First Atlantic CEO) in MAY (2011) was recommended for approval, showing a construction cost estimate (of First Atlantic’s Collier’s Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in
Ellsworth) of $9.2 million.”
(John) “Wood (ARHN Administrator) said it’s understandable that some staff, residents and family feel they have been left out of the loop as First Atlantic developed its plans to phase Atlantic Rehab out of use.
“I think that’s true,” he said.
Why was there so little communication between corporate headquarters in Portland and clients and staff in Calais?
“I don’t know,” Wood said.”
A FEBRUARY 10, 2012 BDN article stated, “A DHHS certificate of need review panel recommended approval of the proposal last October, although Atlantic Rehab RESIDENTS, STAFF AND THEIR FAMILIES DIDN’T LEARN OF THE CLOSURE PLAN UNTIL LATE LAST MONTH.” Mayhew has the authority to accept or reject the recommendation.
The original closing date was planned for MARCH 1, 2012, but was postponed because a request was filed with DHHS for a hearing to be held in Calais to rescind the CON. The appeal hearing was held on April 5, but Commissioner Mayhew chose not to attend.
A May 5 BDN story noted that “a stack of petitions” to keep ARHN open were being delivered to
Gov. LePage by State Rep. Joyce Maker (R-Calais). The merit of these petitions was dismissed by LePage. The Washington County Legislative Delegation, all Republicans, including State Senate President Kevin Raye of Perry, have supported LePage 99.999999% of the time. Seemingly, it’s a one-way relationship.
On June 1, Commissioner Mayhew announced that she had denied the request to rescind First
Atlantic Healthcare’s CON for its Ellsworth facility. Subsequently, First Atlantic closed ARHN on June 21, earlier than that July 6 because “all residents were able to find new placements sooner than expected.”
Now for First Atlantic’s financial aspect:
Apparently, the Nursing Home and Rehabilitation facility business is still very lucrative because First Atlantic also intends to expand its Bucksport facility “in similar size and scope” to the Ellsworth expansion.
In this June 1 BDN report, “First Atlantic CEO Kenneth Bowden testified in April that his firm saw Atlantic Rehab expenses exceed revenues during 2011 by $272,000. In the first two months of this year, he said, the facility was $131,000 in the red, due in part to a dwindling resident census prompted by fears of closure.
Bowden told the Bangor Daily News on Friday he was “pleased” by Mayhew’s decision, and said the
dwindling number of residents in the Calais facility — now down to 18 — does not support the cost of keeping it up and running.”
TALK ABOUT ORWELLIAN DOUBLESPEAK – FIRST SURREPTITIOUSLY PLAN TO CLOSE ARHN, THEN ORDER THAT NO MORE RESIDENTS AND REHAB PATIENTS BE ACCEPTED, AND WHEN WORD LEAKS OF THE PLAN THE RESIDENT CENSUS DECLINES “PROMPTED BY FEARS OF CLOSURE” (BOWDEN’S WORDS), CLAIM THAT YOU ARE LOSING MONEY BECAUSE THERE ARE NO RESIDENTS. IT’S CALLED CREATING A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY.
ASK ANY FORMER EMPLOYEE OF ARHN AND THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT SINCE FIRST ATLANTIC HEALTHCARE HAS OWNED ARHN, GENERAL UPKEEP HAS BEEN MINIMAL AND FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS HAVE ESSENTIALLY BEEN NON-EXISTENT. IN SHORT, ALLOW ARHN TO DETERIORATE, AND THEN SAY THAT IT IS UNTENABLE TO MAINTAIN. THAT’S ANOTHER SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY.
To those of you who say that Government should be run like a business, this is most often the result. Businesses’, especially large ones (small businesses are generally more responsive to their clientele), primary interest is to maximize their profits for the “extra nickel”. People be darned! Pledge your Allegiance to the United States of Wall Street!
Stated purposes in the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States include “establish justice… promote the general welfare” of the people. Equally, The Preamble to Maine’s Constitution sets similar purposes, “in order to establish justice… promote our common welfare…”
From start to finish, this affair has been dirty by First Atlantic Healthcare and the LePage administration.