Information about nursing home closures

Find details about pending nursing home closures in Massachusetts and resources for residents living in these facilities.

Long term care facilities may decide to voluntarily close for a number of reasons. The Department of Public Health (DPH) is required to monitor the closure process and works with the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) Long Term Care Ombudsman to:

• Review a proposed closure
• Address concerns that have been brought to its attention
• Ensure that measures are put in place to minimize the impact on residents and their families

Throughout the closure process, the facility is not only responsible for working with residents and their families to identify new placement for residents, but it also must maintain safe, high-quality care for all of its residents.

Disclaimer

The Department of Public Health (DPH) is committed to achieving meaningful accessibility to this online environment for all users, including users with disabilities. We recognize that this version of the Essential Service Closure Documentation may not work for all users. If you are a user with visual impairments who needs alternative access to the documents, please contact the Bureau of Health Care Safety and Quality at [phone] or by email at [e-mail]. To submit written comments on a pending closure, email them to [e-mail] by the date of the public hearing.

Pending voluntary nursing home closures in Massachusetts

For more information about each individual facility, please use the Massachusetts Nursing Home Survey Performance Tool and the CMS Nursing Home Compare website. To request documentation, such as a facility’s Intent to Close letter, please contact [e-mail].

Facility	Closure Date	Public Hearing Information
Benjamin Healthcare Center	July 01, 2024	Tuesday, March 12th, 2024, at 6pm EST Dial in Phone #: [phone] Participant Code: 8554964 In-Person Hearing Tuesday, March 26th, 2024, at 6PM EDT Location: Thelma D. Burns Building at 575 Warren Street, Roxbury, MA 02121 There will be language interpreter services in Spanish and Haitian Creole at the in-person hearing.
Bridgewater Nursing & Rehab	May 24, 2024	Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 at 6pm EST Dial in Phone #: [phone] Participant Code: 8243949
Savoy Nursing and Rehabilitation Center	April 3, 2024	RESCHEDULED Thursday January 11th, 2024 at 6pm EST Dial in Phone #: [phone]  888-677-5727 Participant Code:7572139
New England Sinai Hospital Transitional Care Unit	April 2, 2024	RESCHEDULED Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 at 6pm EST Dial in Phone #: [phone] Participant Code: 8023560
South Dennis Health Care	January 30, 2024	Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 6pm
Arnold House Nursing Home 490 William St, Stoneham, MA 02180	September 22, 2023	Wednesday, June 21, 2023 at 6pm
Willimansett East	June 6, 2023	Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 6pm
Willimansett West	June 6, 2023	Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 6pm
Chapin Center	June 6, 2023	Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 6pm
Governors Center	June 6, 2023	Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 6pm
Stonehedge Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center 5 Redlands Road West Roxbury, MA, 02132	February 10, 2022	Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Heathwood Healthcare 188 Florence St. Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467	January 5, 2022	Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at 6 p.m.
Mt. Ida Rest Home 32 Newtonville Ave. Newton, MA 02460	December 31, 2021	Thursday, September 30, 2021 at 6 p.m.
Wingate at Chestnut Hill 615 Heath St. Chestnut Hill, MA 02467	October 1, 2021	Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 6 p.m.
Halcyon House 175 Berkeley St. Methuen, MA 01844	July 16, 2021	Wednesday, April 14, 2021 from 6-9 p.m.
Agawam HealthCare 1200 Suffield Street Agawam, MA 01001	July 27, 2021	Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 6 p.m.
Wareham HealthCare 50 Indian Neck Road Wareham, MA 02571	July 28, 2021	Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 6 p.m.
Town & Country Health Care Center 259 Baldwin Street Lowell MA 01851	July 31, 2021	None

Agawam HealthCare

• Notice of Intent to Close
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan

Arnold House Nursing Home

• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (DOCX)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

Attleboro Healthcare

• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (Word)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (Word)

Benjamin Healthcare Center

• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (DOCX)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

Bridgewater Nursing & Rehab

• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (DOCX)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

Chapin Center

• Notice of Intent to Close and Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
• Approved Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

Chetwynde Healthcare

• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (Word)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (Word)

Dedham Healthcare

• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (Word)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (Word)

Gloucester Healthcare

• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (Word)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (Word)

Governors Center

• Notice of Intent to Close and Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
• Approved Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

Halcyon House

• Notice of Intent to Close and Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (Word)
• DPH Approval of Halcyon House Closure Plan (PDF) | (Word)

Heathwood Healthcare

• Notice of Intent to Close (Word)
• Draft of Relocation Plan (Word)

Mt. Ida Rest Home

• Notice of Intent to Close and Draft of Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

New England Sinai Hospital Transitional Care Unit

• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (DOCX)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

Quincy Health and Rehabilitation

• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (Word)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (Word)

Savoy Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

• Notice of Intent to Close and Draft Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

Stonehedge Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center

• Notice of Intent to Close and Draft of Closure Plan (PDF) | (DOC)
• DPH Comments on Draft of Closure Plan (PDF) | (DOC)
• Stonehedge Response to DPH Comments on Draft of Closure Plan (PDF) | (DOC)
• DPH Approval of Closure Plan (PDF) | (DOC)

South Dennis Healthcare

• Draft Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
• Notice of Intent to Close (PDF) | (DOCX)

Town & Country Health Care Center

• Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (Word)
• DPH Approval of Town & Country Health Care Center Closure Plan (PDF) | (Word)

Wareham HealthCare

• Notice of Intent to Close
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan

Willimansett East

• Notice of Intent to Close and Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
• Approved Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

Willimansett West

• Notice of Intent to Close and Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)
• Approved Closure and Relocation Plan (PDF) | (DOCX)

Wingate at Chestnut Hill

• Notice of Intent to Close and Draft of Relocation Plan (PDF)
• Notice of Intent to Close (Word)
• Draft of Closure and Relocation Plan (Word)

Pending nursing home change of ownership in Massachusetts

There are no nursing home ownership changes pending at this time.

Voluntary nursing home closure process

When a facility decides to voluntarily close, there are several requirements that it must fulfill before it can complete the closure. This process is outlined in the Licensure Procedure and Suitability Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities regulations (105 CMR 153.000).

1. First, at least 120 days before the proposed closure date the facility must notify DPH and those impacted by their decision to close and submit a draft closure plan. The notification must include residents, family members, the facility’s resident and family councils, staff members, labor organizations, the offices of the local and state Long Term Care Ombudsman, local representatives to the State Legislature, and city/town officials.
   
   Owners of the facility should engage with those who are impacted to explore alternatives to closure and further development of a closure plan.
2. When the facility provides DPH with the 120-day notice of its intent to close, they will work together to schedule a public hearing to occur at least 90 days in advance of the proposed closure date.
3. At least 14 days before the scheduled public hearing, the facility must provide notice of the date, time, and location of the public hearing. The facility must also post a copy of the draft closure plan and public hearing notice inside the facility itself and provide both to each party that was initially notified of the closure.
4. Once the public hearing is held, DPH will complete its thorough review of the facility’s closure plan and all comments received at the hearing within 14 days. DPH may either issue approval of the plan or request additional information from the facility about the draft closure plan. If additional information is requested, the facility must provide it to DPH within 14 days.
5. When DPH approves the closure plan, and at least 60 days prior to the closure date, the facility must:
   • Freeze admissions, meaning that it may no longer admit new residents.
   • Provide notification to all those who received the initial notice of intent to close that DPH has approved the closure plan. This notification must include both the approved closure date and notice that the facility will close, and it must also be posted inside the facility itself.
6. After the facility has completed all required notifications, it can begin to work with residents and/or the residents’ legal representatives to begin finding alternative placement for residents.

Resources for residents

If you are a resident who currently lives at any of these nursing homes, the facility is responsible for working with you to plan for your safe and orderly transfer to another facility capable of meeting your needs.

Questions regarding when you will need to move, where you may move to, and whether that facility will be able to meet your needs should be directed to the nursing home staff that plan for your care such as the facility administrator, director of nursing, and social services staff. 

If you believe that your needs are not being met by the facility, there are additional options available to you:

• Your facility’s Long Term Care Ombudsman can provide assistance to advocate on your behalf. Information on how to contact your facility ombudsman must be posted in your nursing home.
• You may file a complaint with the Department of Public Health at [phone] or submit your complaint in writing to:

  Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification
  Complaint Unit Intake
  67 Forest Street
  Marlborough, MA 01752