Maine Public | By Kaitlyn Budion
Published March 21, 2024 at 6:02 PM EDT
A coalition of medical providers and advocates are calling on state legislators to approve additional funding for long-term care facilities.
Members of the Who Will Care? Coalition held a press conference this morning urging state officials to prevent further facility closures.
The greater Portland area has lost more than 240 long-term care beds, says Dr. Dan Meyer, chief of hospital medicine at Maine Medical Center. And he says the lack of long-term care beds is affecting hospital patients as well.
“At any given day at Maine Medical Center now, there may be 60 or 70 patients that are stuck- medically ready for discharge, but unable to leave the hospital due to a lack of access to appropriate long term care,” Meyer said.
The coalition is calling on legislators to pass an additional $31 million in state appropriations, which would then be matched with $62 million in federal funds.
Three facilities have announced closures already this year.
Kristen Cyr with Northern Light Blue Hill and Maine Coast Hospitals, says that after Seaport Village in Ellsworth ceased operation earlier this month, Hancock County was left with no long-term care nursing facilities.
“Currently, Brewer is going to be the closest facility for Hancock County patients who require this nursing facility level of care,” Cyr said. “Not only is that a burden to the patients, but you think about aging families who want to see their loved ones.”
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