Aging, Antiquated Structure, Multiple Building Issues Force Nursing Home Operator To Shut Down Care Home; Emotions Run High For 89 Vulnerable, Soon-To-Be Displaced Residents & 128 Employees

In Parksley, Virginia, DelmarvaNow.com reports:

• Riverside Health System announced Tuesday [August 22] it will close its nursing home in Parksley in October because of "multiple building issues," including recurrent flooding and a recent lightning strike that affected the fire panel.
  
  The facility's closing affects 89 long-term residents and 128 employees.
  
  "It was a very difficult decision," said Bill Downey, president and chief executive officer of Riverside Health System.
  
  "The facility is very old. It is very dated. It had a severe water problem that we worked through to keep our residents and team members safe — but on top of that, we have continued to have issues with flooding as well as ... recently, the building was struck by lightning that caused a problem with our fire panel," Downey said.
  
  "When you take all of those together, it came to the decision that it was in the best interest of the residents to close that antiquated facility," he said.
  
  ***
  The health care organization will work until then to find placements with an appropriate level of care for 89 long-term care residents.
  
  ***
  Riverside is meeting with employees to help them find employment either within the Riverside Health System or elsewhere, the release said.
  
  Resume writing and interviewing skills support also will be offered.
  
  [...]

For more, see Parksley nursing home will close, displacing 89 residents.

See also, Parksley nursing home: Hard times ahead with Riverside closing, officials say (Emotions run high as job loss, reality of mainland Virginia facilities move realized).