A Boston nursing home is set to close its doors in July, but local leaders gathered Friday morning to publicly urge action on a receivership petition that would allow the state to take over management of the facility.
The Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare Center in Mission Hill is scheduled to close on July 1, displacing 76 elderly and disabled residents.
Patients have schizophrenia, dementia and a number of medical conditions that make it hard for the home's 76 residents to grasp that the nursing home is closing in a few months.
CEO Tony Francis blames surging labor and other costs as the reason for the planned closure.
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Over the past year, staff have complained about going months without paychecks, or having their checks bounce.
At the same time, lawmakers allege Francis gave himself a 300% raise since he came on as CEO in 2014 – reportedly making him the highest paid non-profit nursing home administrator in the city.
Nurses who’ve worked there for decades say they hope this public pressure will help keep the facility open.
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“It’s like a dream for me. I wake up everyday. I come to work but still…are we really closing after 43 plus years? Is this what it becomes?" said Guerda Cadet, who is concerned about what will happen to the dozens of people who still rely on the facility for care.
“Where are they gonna go? Some of them, all they know is us. So that’s my biggest concern right now is the placement. Where are they going to go?” Marise Colsoul, director of nursing, said.
Lawmakers and community leaders urged action by the Department of Public Health and the Attorney General’s office on a receivership petition that would allow the state to take over management of the facility.
“Our community deserves more and quite frankly we are sick of the disturbing pattern of health care administrators in our community taking advantage for their own personal gain,” State Sen. Liz Miranda said.
Lawmakers allege Francis gave himself a 300% raise since he came on as CEO in 2014 – with an annual salary reportedly over $620,000 -- making him the highest paid nonprofit nursing home administrator in Boston. Meanwhile, staff have complained about going weeks without paychecks or having checks bounce.
“They take in almost a million dollars a month. He just doesn’t pay the bills. So when he filed a notice….saying that they’re having insurmountable financial woes, he is the insurmountable financial woe,” former State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson said.
Francis responded to a request for comment Friday.
"The Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare Center continues to provide high-quality skilled nursing care in a safe environment and remains focused on assuring appropriate and orderly resident transfers. The economic climate for long-term care is dismal and continued operation of the facility is simply not sustainable, so the skilled nursing facility is scheduled to close July 1, after all resident transfers are complete. We continue to work closely with state and local elected and appointed officials. We appreciate the interest and support of these officials but the fiscal reality remains the same," he wrote in a statement.
There’s a hearing scheduled over the Benjamin closure on March 26.
