The announcement that Brandel Manor nursing home and Cypress Place Assisted Living will soon cease operations has thrown families into a state of a chaos as they try to find new arrangements for their loved ones.
Residents were notified of the closures on Jan. 15. State law requires that patients be given 60 days notice so the facility will not close before mid-March.
Randy Eilts, director of public relations and communications for Covenant Living Communities and Services, said in a press release: “Following a comprehensive analysis, it is no longer financially sustainable to remain in operations. We reviewed all aspects of these stand-alone facilities, including, but not limited to, the age of the building, operating costs, and workforce challenges.”
In the meantime, patients and their families are scrambling to find openings in nearby facilities, which, according to some, is nearly impossible.
“I have contacted Turlock Nursing and Rehabilitation, Covenant Living, Main West Post Acute Care, North Starr, Riverbank Nursing Center, San Luis Care Center in Newman, and Ceres Post Acute Care,” said Gaylene Cornell, whose 91-year-old mother is one of nearly 100 patients who will be looking to relocate. “In Modesto, I contacted Vintage Faire Nursing and Rehab, Modesto Post Acute Center, Golden Modesto Healthcare, Garden City Healthcare Center, English Oaks, and then I started calling assisted care facilities, which is like a level down from nursing, but my mom doesn’t qualify for assisted care, and those are all private-pay anyway. My mom has Medicare. My mom can’t afford that and neither can I.”
Another Turlock woman, who asked that her name not be used, is having similar problems trying to relocate her 86-year-old mother.
“I heard (Oak Valley Nursing and Rehab Center) has a couple of rooms available, but there’s, like, 70 people on the list so what are the odds of getting one of those,” the daughter said. “I have no idea what I’m going to do. I just don’t know.”
Turlock resident Mary Lou Machado-Munoz was able to secure a spot in a new facility for her father.
“We acted fast,” Machado-Munoz said. “The moment I knew, I started the process with another local skilled nursing facility. I knew I wouldn’t have a choice as there aren’t many options and Turlock, and I needed to keep him close.”
Machado-Munoz said she’s spoken to one other person with a family member at Brandel who is struggling to find a new facility.
“It’s sad,” said Machado-Munoz.
Brandel Manor is owned by Covenant Living West, based in Skokie, Ill., and Brandel staff met with families on Thursday.
“I counted 10 rows with six chairs per row, plus those on the sides and those standing,” said Cornell. “So, that’s probably 90 to 100 family members in attendance.
“The first half of the meeting was basically about how great the staff was and how they’d get a severance package. Finally, we got down to business and they said, ‘You all need to really work at this.’ And I was like, ‘We?’”
According to Eilts, six Brandel residents and six from Cypress have been placed in a new location. He said, “Covenant Living has provided all residents and their families and/or representatives with a thorough listing of skilled nursing facilities and assisted-living communities in the area, which they can use to select from when deciding about where to relocate. Ultimately, it is their choice. We are providing assistance in help to make those moves.”
Cornell is hopeful that she can find something nearly, but fears her mother may have to be moved out of the area.
“If they move my mom to Sacramento or the Bay Area, there’s a chance I’ll never get to see my mom again. This is the position we’re in.”
