WATERBURY, Conn. — Abbott Terrace Health Center in Waterbury is set to close next month, but its residents and members of the community are calling on the state to intervene.
The healthcare facility lost its Medicare and Medicaid funding for not meeting minimum health and safety requirements, forcing its imminent closure.
On Tuesday, the calls to keep the center open grew louder, with many speaking on the impact the closure would have on the community.
Employees say they were given less than a day of notice that they were no longer going to be employed at Abbott Terrace, and patients are devastated that they will have to be transferred somewhere else.
RELATED: Nursing home residents, staff call for Abbott Terrace to stay open and for company to manage better
Rosa Maldonado said since the closure became apparent, the atmosphere has changed in the building's hallways.
“Now, I go into Abbott, all I see is sadness. Sometimes, they don’t want to eat, they don’t sleep and mostly you see the sadness in their eyes,” Rosa Maldonado, an Abbott Terrace dietary aid, said.
Maldonado has worked at Abbott Terrace for 14 years. She's one of the outspoken employees about this closure.
She says family members like Milda Minales, who only speaks Spanish, won’t be able to see her husband as much.
“She comes everyday to see her husband; he’s on the second floor and has dementia,” Maldonado said. “It affected her because she doesn’t have a car to get around. She lives like five minutes from where her husband is at.”
Minales and her husband won’t be the only ones affected.
Employees will also lose their jobs.
Stephanie Deceus, a health Care Union vice president said, “A worker, who’s been there 23 years, went to work one day and was told, 'Don’t come back tomorrow.'”
Faith leaders say Abbott Terrace is home to many congregation members.
“Keeping Abbott Terrace open is vital,” Rev. Ellizabeth Rosa said. “It’s a necessity for our community… Most of them are low income families that only have one car. I cannot event think about having to visit my mom or having to visit an uncle when there’s only one car.”
Deceus is asking questions.
“How many nursing homes have closed in Waterbury? Let’s think about that… Why are we letting elderly residents get sacrificed? Why are care givers losing their jobs? Why does Waterbury deserve less?” she asked to the public.
She said at least three nursing home operators are interested in purchasing Abbott Terrace and she’s calling on state leaders to step in.
“We’re calling directly on Gov. Lamont, DSS commissioner Martin Reaves and DPH Commissioner Juthani to ask the federal government to continue Medicare and Medicaid payments to Abbott Terrace," Deceus said.
State Rep. Geraldo Reyes Jr. says he was disturbed when he heard the closure announcement.
“This is the second resident home that is being closed in Waterbury in three and a half years,” he said. “There needs to be a thorough and great explanation as to why we can’t get these folks where they need to be, so they don’t fail these regulations.”
----
Kaye Paddyfote is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. She can be reached at kpaddyfote@fox61.com. Follow her on X, Facebook and Instagram.
----
Do you have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com.
----
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.