27-05-2025
Mass. nursing home with 130-year history to close, lay off staff
A Lawrence nursing home that opened in 1895 will close at the end of the summer, leaving 43 employees without jobs and more than 30 residents without housing.
The Berkeley Retirement Home posted a notice on its website announcing the decision to close, writing that it had notified the state Department of Public Health that the facility would shut its doors for good on Aug. 31.
In the letter from The Berkeley to DPH posted on the state website, Leslie Russo, the facility's administrator, wrote that the 'difficult decision' had been made due to financial factors, as it had been incurring 'significant monthly losses' and the building itself is aging and needs 'extensive renovations and repairs.'
'This decision was not made lightly and every effort was made over the last few years to identify a long-term solution to ensure the best future for the facility,' Russo wrote.
According to the letter, The Berkeley's board of directors voted on April 28 to close the nursing home, which has 19 skilled nursing beds and 25 independent living rest home beds.
A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act notice posted on the state website shows that 43 workers will be laid off on Aug. 31 when the facility closes.
According to a draft closure plan submitted to DPH, residents and their families were notified of the closure on April 30 and a freeze has been placed on new admissions. Staff will work with each resident to find a new placement in a different facility in the area. Medical records will continue to be stored on-site until the building is sold or repurposed.
A virtual public hearing about the closure will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 28.
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Read the original article on MassLive.
