EAGLE LAKE, Maine – The Mercy Home, a long-term care nursing and residential care facility in Eagle Lake, will close later this year, according to a Jan. 17 letter sent by its parent organization, Northern Maine General, to residents, families and employees.
The letter, which a resident shared with the Bangor Daily News, stated that the closure will take effect April 30. It said that management will help residents and their families find alternative options and work to make sure they are transferred to a new provider, along with their medical records.
“Mercy Home will not close until all residents are relocated through a safe and orderly discharge plan,” the letter read.
Northern Maine General said it will also work to help employees find new jobs within its system or in the surrounding communities.
Eagle Lake Town Manager John Sutherland confirmed that he also received the letter about the closure on Jan. 17.
“Like everybody, we were surprised by the announcement, but we’re going to work with Northern Maine General and the employees going forward,” he said. “That’s pretty much all we can do, and we want to try to make the best outcome possible for everybody.
Other nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the St. John Valley area include Forest Hill Long Term Care and Crosswinds Residential Care in Fort Kent, Country Village Estates and High View Rehab and Nursing Center in Madawaska and Borderview Rehabilitation and Living Center in Van Buren.
According to the letter, Northern Maine General made the decision to close due to ongoing staffing shortages. The group was not able to hire the mandated number of qualified nurses and certified nurses aides, which resulted in a dependence on contract labor.
“The state’s rate of reimbursement simply cannot sustain the contract labor rates at the level Mercy Home has become dependent on,” the letter read.
The facility, which has been around for half a century, had to reduce its nursing bed capacity from 40 to 30 in 2023 due to these shortages.
“We are deeply grateful for the trust our residents, their families, and our long-time dedicated staff have placed in us over the years,” the letter concluded. “This was not an easy decision, but we are committed to making sure that each individual is well taken care of during this transition period.”
