After more than four decades in business, the small, family-owned Lily Pond Nursing Home is shutting its doors for good.
The exact closing date for the Arrochar facility has yet to be determined, management said. But operations are winding down at Lily Pond, which has capacity for 35 residents, and is currently home to 28, including senior citizens and younger people who have developmental disabilities or need full-time psychiatric care.
A spokesman for the state Department of Health, which oversees nursing homes, said a plan submitted by Lily Pond indicates it will close by the end of this month.
“It is very sad; this is a family business for over 40 years and the last thing I wanted to do is close this place. My father left us this legacy; we had a unique, special name,” said Hady Rozenberg, who oversees Lily Pond.
“I was hoping I could continue on, but we had a big cut in our (Medicaid reimbursement) rates,” said Ms. Rozenberg, blaming budget slashes to the program for making it impossible to stay afloat. “Our rates have been decreasing, like everybody else’s; but we’re small and we can’t make it up in other ways.”
According to the state Department of Health, in 2011, Lily Pond received between $147.12 and $153.51 and per person, per day in Medicaid reimbursement.
That is roughly 12 percent less than Lily Pond received just five years ago when it fell behind on payroll, and the severity of the facility’s financial struggles first came to light. Then, Medicaid paid $168.21 per person, per day.
“We were able to eventually pay them, but the fact that (the workers) didn’t leave is a testament to what kind of family place this is,” said Ms. Rozenberg, praising her staff for their dedication and patience.
“The Department of Health and the nursing home will work to minimize the impact of this closure, while ensuring residents will be placed in the most appropriate setting to meet their health care needs,” said Jeffery Hammond, a spokesman for the state Department of Health.