June 16, 2021
United Helpers nursing home closing: what happens next to residents, staff?
Can the north country absorb the closing of United Helpers’ Ogdensburg nursing care facility? Will residents be sent too far away from their loved ones? Can the workers find work at a nearby facility?
On Tuesday, United Helpers announced it’s shutting down its rehabilitation & senior care facility just outside Ogdensburg on September 1.
Now, 200 employees need new jobs and 106 residents need new homes.
But, they won’t have to look too far.
“We have a lot of room and a big building. We have several empty beds at the moment and we’re working with them to transfer them to the facility, along with staff,” said Ike Bogosian, Massena Rehabilitation & Nursing Center administrator.
Bogosian says the Massena nursing home is always looking to recruit more staff, so this fills a need.
“I want the staff at Ogdensburg to know that there are jobs here, we have sign-on bonuses. We’re willing to help in any way that we can,” he said.
And in Watertown, there are openings at Samaritan Keep Home and Summit Village.
“Between the two facilities, we have 29 beds available at this time. In addition, we have 190 jobs just in long term care,” said Leslie DeStefano, Samaritan Medical Center communications director.
Meanwhile, Carthage Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing officials say their doors are also open to help families, residents and staff.
Nursing home administrators say they don’t want the loved ones of residents to worry; they’re prioritizing keeping residents in the north country.
“At the end of the day, their loved ones are going to have a place to go,” said Bogosian.
There are other facilities in the area that didn’t call us back, but it’s likely going to be along the same line: there are open rooms for residents and jobs for the workers who will have to leave the Ogdensburg nursing home come September.
As seen on WWNY.