Community Health & Environment

Passions Erupt at Meeting with Spaulding / Partners Over Closing of North End Nursing Home [Video]

North End residents and family members confronted company management planning to close the North End Nursing Home at the Monday night meeting of the North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC). President of the Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, David Storto, met face to face with the neighborhood stakeholders who are vowing to fight the transfer of nursing home residents to a new facility in Brighton. Storto (00:40 in video) said that the challenging physical condition and mechanicals of Spaulding North End, part of the Partners Healthcare system, is beyond renovation and the company is beginning a transition to relocate residents in about one year. The company made a formal statement earlier in the day via an open letter to the North End community.

An overflowing crowd packed in the Nazzaro Community Center to discuss the proposed closing of the North End Nursing Home (NEWF Photo)
An overflowing crowd packed in the Nazzaro Community Center to discuss the proposed closing of the North End Nursing Home (NEWF photo)

Heart wrenching stories were told by many families in attendance at the meeting. Alissa Passacantilli Tizzano (55:00 in video) tearfully said, “You have no idea what you are doing to these people. That’s their home. You are affecting a lot of lives.” John Graffeo showed a photo of his 99 year-old mother (1:01:20 in video), saying “This is a disgrace, a mortal sin.”

Families complained about the lack of communication from Spaulding/Partners and how these discussions are happening after word of the closing spread on social media and published in a NorthEndWaterfront.com article, followed by a Boston Herald column. [See North End Nursing Home & Rehab Center to Close Leaving Elderly and Families in Lurch.]

From the Mayor’s Office, North End representative Maria Lanza (50:00 in video) said her conversations with the Boston Redevelopment Authority have confirmed a Land Disposition Agreement (LDA) on the property that it be used for a nursing home and long-term elderly health care facility. Spaulding’s Storto also said that the State Department of Public Health would have to oversee the closing and move of patients from the nursing home. Multiple attendees mentioned problems with the proposed Brighton facility, including frequent flooding and similar mechanical issues.

State Representative Aaron Michlewitz called the move “unacceptable” (10:30 in video) and said this is a “community building and will stay a community building”. Michlewitz used the example of the North Bennet Street School as an analogy of creative options to keep important facilities in the North End. State Senator Joe Boncore also spoke in support of residents and his desire to work with Rep. Michlewitz to keep these vulnerable residents in the neighborhood. Francine Gannon and other members of the original Parcel C-2 committee recalled how the nursing home was originally designated for the elderly of the North End. Attendees said they will be organizing a similar committee to work on behalf of residents as part of the upcoming public process.

View the full meeting video above, moderated by NEWNC President John Pregmon.

8 Replies to “Passions Erupt at Meeting with Spaulding / Partners Over Closing of North End Nursing Home [Video]

  1. Why would moving the residents of the NorthEnd Nursing Home to a sub-par facility that has not addressed any of their known issues in two years be acceptable for anyone including the people who are already there.
    The Shriners Burn Hospital did not move one patient when they fixed their entire facility. If there are real issues at the NorthEndNursingHome they can be addressed floor by floor..
    Partners/Spaulding has NOT addressed any patients/family concerns in Good Faith.
    We need help from the BostonGlobe I Team and our politicians to check into Who owns the facility,What did they pay for it.What exactly needs to be fixed.etc. And since Partners/Spaulding does not deal in Good Faith ALL the nursing homes under their banner should be checked WE NEED HELP

  2. Great stuff. Proud of the community. LETS FIGHT TO THE END!

    Also im not sure it was mentioned. This hack continued to mention the declining elderly in the area. In 1 square mile we have the Casa Maria on Endicott St. The Michelangelo on Charter ST. As well as 2 other buildings on Fulton/Commerical st. All 4 of these buildings are filled with elderly and disabled. That has to be close to 1000 people in just those buildings.

  3. I am so sorry I didn’t know to attend this NEWNC meeting. As appalling as was my experience with the Spaulding/North End Rehabilitation Center (“skilled Nursing Facility) & Nursing Home, it is absolutely unacceptable for Spaulding to have taken over this neighborhood facility & to propose closing it.

    WHY does everyone agree this WELL-Built, solid building is in terrible condition? It is not.

    Spaulding re-purposed a Community facility into just another building in their computer system where they could place patients from anywhere needing short-term rehab.

    Spaulding needs to release this property from its control and the neighborhood, the City of Boston need to create the facility the North End needs

  4. I was born and raised in the North End and lived there until 9 years ago. I moved out four months after my mother passed away. She passed away in the Nirth End Nursing home. I demanded to the doctors at MGH that she be sent to the North End Nursing home when I was told there was no way I could take care of here. I was by my mother’s side morning, noon and nit. I would have not been able to be with my mother and make sure she was treated properly. She certainly was. I think it is a total disgrace that the elderly who have lived in the North End have to be re routed to a place that they know nothing about. Let’s also remember the families of the elderly. Many will have a difficult time seeing their parents. The North End has lost enough. Have respect for the elderly and their families. Enough is enough.

  5. Please excuse the typos. I am extremely upset what is going on. No matter where I live, the North End will always be my home. The North End people will always be like family to me.

  6. My wonderful Italian born father in law developed dementia and the family was so happy to have him in the N.End nursing home. He was with his own people and we felt that he was allowed to phase out with his own heritge.
    Repairs and upgrading will be the kindest thing for these poor people at the end of their lives. Many were born in the North end and came to settle there. It is cruel to take it away from them.

  7. On Monday, June 13th, 2016 I visited someone at the Don Orione Home in East Boston, & believe it
    or not, even though the No. End Nursing Home may not be in the condition it was when it first opened,
    it looks like Caesar’s Palace after seeing the Don Orione. This Nursing Home was deliberately run
    into the ground, which is the procedure when you want to get rid of a piece of property. Two of our
    North End elderly were refused entry into the facility & had to go elsewhere. The City is having a field day building all over the place, surely you don’t think they need this piece of property, other than
    “GREED”. This is one thing they can’t take away from us, if we have to protest outside of City Hall, the
    State House, wherever,
    involve the Media & however we have to reach out to save this Facility, we can never, ever give up
    without the Fight of Our Lives. Anything worth having, is worth FIGHTING FOR.
    A Special Thanks To Frannie Cap Gannon. God Bless You. Where there is a Will, there is Always a
    WAY. Let us Fight to the Bitter END. Olivia made a great suggestion, if Spaulding can’t handle it,
    let someone else do the JOB, and believe me, we can easily find that someone else. A M E N.

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