HOULTON, Maine (WABI) – The Gardiner Health Care Facility in Houlton recently announced that it will be closing its nursing home unit.

The CEO of North Country Associates says this will reduce their reliance on nurses.

We are told that Gardiner Health Care will change models from a 38-bed nursing facility and a 10-bed residential care unit to a 40-bed residential care unit.

North Country Associates, based in Lewiston, operates several nursing and residential care units throughout the state.

“It’s really up to residents and their families to choose another location, but we’ll definitely help,” said Mary Jane Richards, CEO of North Country Associates. “North Country Associates has a number of facilities. Unfortunately, many of them are quite far from the Houlton community. We also spoke to the owner of Madigan Estates. This is another nursing facility in Houlton so hopefully some people will be able to go.

The nursing side of the healthcare facility is expected to close by October 30.

They will then begin the renovation process for the expansion of the residential care unit.

They say that with the number of workforce development programs the state is investing in for the healthcare workforce, there is a chance they could reopen the nursing side in the future. .

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