Life Care Centers of America closing its West Seattle facility

| Health | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

A spokesperson for Life Care Centers of America confirms to WSB that its West Seattle facility (4700 SW Admiral Way; WSB sponsor) is closing, after almost 17 years. After getting a tip about this overnight, we called corporate headquarters in Cleveland to check it out – and they provided this formal announcement:

Life Care Centers of America announced today its plans to close the Life Care Center of West Seattle location on Jan. 31, 2013.

“Life Care has been forced to face a difficult decision,” explained Todd Fletcher, a spokesperson for Life Care’s Northwest Division. “Due to the difficult economic environment and the age and maintenance requirements of the physical building, Life Care is unable to continue operating this facility.”

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has been notified, and Life Care associates are now focused on appropriately placing each of its approximately 70 residents.

Residents and family members received a list of local care facilities, and Life Care is providing clinical social workers to assist with every discharge to ensure residents are secure and comfortable with the changes.

All of the building’s eligible employees will be offered a severance package and the opportunity to possibly obtain work within other Life Care buildings.

“We are a close team, and this is a difficult situation for our tight-knit community,” said Fletcher. “Life Care Centers of America has more than 220 other locations, and if some of our associates have interest in staying with Life Care, we are happy to try and place them in other buildings.”

Life Care Center of West Seattle has been operating since May 5, 1996.

According to the corporate website, there are 17 other Life Care Centers in this state, and the company has home-care services listed too.

rw November 28, 2012 (8:51 am)

This will pose a hardship on these patients, their families, and the staff. It will also have an adverse impact on other families hoping to place loved ones in the remaining facilities in West Seattle. My best wishes to all concerned.

Robert November 28, 2012 (9:28 am)

The land being worth around 2.5 Million or so wouldn’t have anything to do with it?…

JH November 28, 2012 (9:30 am)

That’s unfortunate. This facility is in my neighborhood and seems like it’s a quiet location (but also convenient to public transit) for residents and those who visit them. I know the news was just announced, but I’m very curious what the building will be used for in the future? If WSB or others hear any intelligence on this, I’d be very curious what will go into this space next. It seems like a school or community center or even church might be appropriate uses.

Andrew November 28, 2012 (9:47 am)

The end of an era. I first worked there well over twenty years ago when it was Moderncare. This will be a true loss to the community.

Lura November 28, 2012 (10:31 am)

What is the zoning’s height and density?

Faith4 November 28, 2012 (10:50 am)

Wow. This is a real surprise. We volunteered there in the past for over 15 years when it was Moderncare & switched names & had someone there as a resident. I’m wondering if one of the big companies might get it and remodel it to continue as a facility. It will be interesting to see what happens. We wish the employees all the best!

marianne November 28, 2012 (11:00 am)

Shudder to think what kind of development could crop up there.

DTK November 28, 2012 (12:28 pm)

Lura – Does it matter? The DPD will just change it to bring in the most revenue regardless of how many meetings or comments they receive.

c November 28, 2012 (1:39 pm)

Robert, Lura, marianne

My thoughts exactly.

I feel for the families that are faced with moving their loved ones.

Gina November 28, 2012 (1:47 pm)

That land is all fill. Would be interesting to see what was removed is something new was built there.

sam-c November 28, 2012 (2:47 pm)

it is unfortunate it is closing. maybe they should turn it into a childcare facility, considering all the childcare facilities in West Seattle have long, impenetrable waiting lists.

miws November 28, 2012 (4:32 pm)

If I had the money, I’d buy up the property, and donate it to the City, on the condition that it be named after, and dedicated to, Matthew Nakata.

Mike

let them swim November 28, 2012 (4:45 pm)

Gina, can you back your comment with facts?
Not to be argumentative, I never knew that.

miws November 28, 2012 (5:04 pm)

let them swim, Gina has a long time history in the area.

Mike

coffee November 28, 2012 (5:05 pm)

Given the rate of reimbursement from various policies, it does not surprise me one bit that they are closing this facility. The current government reimbursement rate for skilled care (if you are on medicade because medicare has been exhausted), the daily rate is less than the actual cost of the facility. Its a shame the way our elderly are cared for in this country.

Bill November 28, 2012 (5:48 pm)

Partly in answer to “let them swim” and thence to expand on Gina’s comment re “fill” — I lived a block away in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s and the whole triangle between Waite, Admiral – west of 47th — to 49th — was all a dumping ground for mostly dirt dredged up or removed from other places. I walked by there every day during the construction — the whole building is founded on piling — and the foundations are probably in fine shape — I cannot now tell you what type of pilings – material wise – but suspect that they were appropriate — treated wood, prestressed concrete or steel – and are possibly fine for continued service — I remember visiting an elderly lady friend of the family there in the early 1960’s who had had a stroke —

But echoing an earlier comment re the DPD — they will probably go with the — “what can we get outta this site – raise revenue — gotta support our pensions” CRAP

Anything above two stories on that site would be – at least 100,000 additional per story per unit — just for the view —

Clue the outta state developers kiddies — you know — the ones hard at work at the Avalon Triangle and Alaska Junction — gotta love that progress — haha

chalk up another one for Obamacare –!!!

let them swim November 28, 2012 (6:23 pm)

Mike, my family since the 30’s. That’s not the point. Show us the facts. Fill from what? Paving Admiral way, garbage dump. Fill can mean alot of things. Clean dirt,what? Just to say it’s landfill does not clarify anything.

Gina November 28, 2012 (6:57 pm)

My dad owned the property in the 1940s and 1950s. I can show you the paperwork for the site if you really need to know.

let them swim November 28, 2012 (7:11 pm)

Fill- what kind -toxic or dirt from other sites .
Land fill always seems to mean bad stuff. Curious if you know what the fill is?

gina November 28, 2012 (7:13 pm)

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=1193129870650&set=o.103853648184&type=3&theater

check out the I Lived in West Seattle Before It Was Cool site on facebook.

WSB November 28, 2012 (7:15 pm)

G – is that your photo or city archive or … Might be interesting to use for forthcoming followup (did not have enough time today with the Sealth situation to do the digging I wanted to do) if we would have permission to use it. Also, I understand it was a care center before Life Care took it over – what preceded that? Thank you – TR

Gina November 28, 2012 (7:26 pm)

The photos were taken by my father or for my father, I have the originals, so feel free to use it. I think the whole series is on the ILIWSBIWC FB site. One of the previous names was Moderncare, and I think there may have been one other name at some point.

Ever November 29, 2012 (7:15 am)

The staff tried hard to make it a good place but corporate cut staff and budgets. Now they want to hurry the residents out to other facilities because of money. Such a shame that a medical investment group and a health care corporation would do this.

Vanessa November 29, 2012 (10:06 am)

As a Home Care Agency here in West Seattle, we will be glad to take applications from the nurse’s aides who will now be looking for new jobs. Please contact
Vanessa@CareAtHomeSeattle.com Thank You.

Andrew November 29, 2012 (10:17 am)

I feel that all nursing homes should be nonprofit. We shouldn’t be making a profit on the elderly.

denise November 29, 2012 (8:18 pm)

Send this to Obama.

Family November 30, 2012 (6:52 pm)

Our Mom was treated wonderfully at LifeCare this summer, with skill and dignity and extra comfort in her final days of life. Being there every day we experienced real compassion. The staff should be snapped up by new employers at twice their salaries – and it would still be a bargain!

Grace and Graham December 2, 2012 (8:35 am)

My mother is there and no I have not received a list of local facilities and to date no one is working with me to find a place for my mother.

The details as explained to me is that the company needs to making heating replacement that would run about $500,000. The company feels it is not worth the expense in terms of return on investment.

The nursing home has operated since the 1960’s. Aproximately 50 medicare/medicade patients will be affected of the 70 residents. Being medicare/medicade does not mean a person has always been distitude, but the opposite, these medicare/medicade patients are our fotten teachers, nurses, and working class of America.

This can be anyone one of us in the future as we age. West Seattle does not have sufficient facilities to accomandate these patients, so it is a devastation to our community and part of the continuum of what is occurring in West Seattle with many other services such as dimissioning bus services.

To build a nursing home requires five acres and the facility is only on 2.5 acres. What is clear to me, they will sell the property and these patients will be displaced at profit with bonuses to the board of Life Care of America.

I truly believe an outstate company who was able to become a not for profit organization (who has not had to pay federal taxes) is allowed to exit an underserved market. Banks and hospitals certainly are not able to leave underserved communities, why should nursing homes in a country of an aging population!!!!

How can an organization make improvements to flooring, furniture, media, and not set aside funds for an aging building for heating. To me, it indicates the company has been poorly managed company. Even a homeowner, sets aside funds for maintenance and repairs with no tax break.

I am disappointed in our local and federal law makers to allow something like this to continue to happen and seating on the sidelines saying “it is business”. My mother will be 90 years old December 24th, a woman who has nothing but contribute to our society and family. It sounds more like “Scooge”.

If you have anyone I can contact at the Seattle Times, please let me know. My mother was recently in the hospital and the change will without a doubt shorten her life. Having said this, is here our aging population is headed, “the forgotten generation”. Kind of the like the movie “Logan’s Runner”.

WS Family December 2, 2012 (7:03 pm)

G and G, I am so sorry for your pain and frustration. You are clearly strong advocates for your mother. Be sure to contact Senior Services of King County. They have truly been a lifesaver numerous times for our family.

http://www.seniorservices.org/financiallegalprograms/Home.aspx

Senior Information & Assistance
Phone: (206) 448-3110
Toll Free: 1-888-435-3377
Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm
Interpreter services are available
info@seniorservices.org