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October 1, 2024

Abbott Terrace Health Center closure pushed back one month

Cloe Poisson / CTMirror.org Abbott Terrace Health Center in Waterbury.
By Jenna Carlesso, CT Mirror

An embattled Waterbury nursing home, whose Medicare and Medicaid funding recently was terminated, will remain open for an additional month as residents are being relocated to other facilities.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had notified Abbott Terrace in August that it would lose funding beginning Sept. 10 for any new patients and within 30 days for all residents. The move by federal officials effectively closes the 205-bed facility because most of the residents are Medicaid or Medicare recipients and not private payers.

Last week, Abbott Terrace was issued a new termination date of Oct. 9. The facility now plans to move all of its 166 residents out of the building by Nov. 8, said Savannah Ragali, a spokeswoman for Athena Health Care Systems, which owns the facility.

“During this incredibly challenging time, our focus remains steadfast on our residents, their families, and our employees,” she said. “We are committed to working closely with each resident and their responsible parties to help them find suitable care at other facilities. We are equally devoted to supporting our staff — many of whom have served this community for decades — with employment opportunities, either within Athena’s network or locally.”

Abbott Terrace employs 287 workers, “including 11 team members who have been with us for 30 to 38 years,” Ragali said.

In their letter to Abbott Terrace managers, CMS officials noted that involuntary termination of a provider agreement is generally the last resort after all other attempts to remedy deficiencies at a nursing home are exhausted.

State Department of Public Health officials made several visits to Abbott Terrace over the first six months of this year. The inspections revealed staff shortages, particularly among nurses, large holes in the tile floors and at least one incident where an employee told a resident with incontinence problems “they could smell them in the hallway.”

Ragali said the health department had mandated updates to the building, particularly the flooring, and Athena invested $200,000 in upgrading floors in “specified areas.”

“The facility also earmarked additional dollars for further renovations to benefit the quality of life and life safety of the residents at Abbott Terrace,” Ragali said. She did not specify an amount.

The health department identified further areas needing renovation, including two doors that Ragali said were upgraded.

“Our team did everything possible in the past several weeks to address the physical plant concerns identified by DPH,” she said.

Athena owns 14 nursing homes in Connecticut, including Abbott Terrace.

The state Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s office is helping residents find alternative facilities and aiding in their transition.

“The Office of the State Ombudsman is concerned whenever there is a nursing home closure because it can leave residents and their families facing uncertainty and distress,” Mairead Painter, the ombudsman, said. “Closures raise significant issues regarding the continuity of care, displacement of residents, and the overall well-being of those affected.

“We know that the sudden closure of homes disrupts the stability and security that residents depend on, potentially leading to adverse health effects and emotional distress, but we hope that this outweighs the risks associated with a facility that is not able to offer the appropriate care residents deserve.”

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