The board of the Island Nursing Home on Deer Isle announced Friday that it will not reopen as a residential care facility.
The nursing home closed two years ago due to staffing challenges. Community backlash prompted an effort to revive the facility for residential care. The board launched a fundraising effort to reopen and overcome low reimbursement rates, but spokesperson Dan Cashman says they were only able to raise $500,000 of a $1.5 million goal.
"And on top of that they found that even though there was less staff needed for a residential care facility, they still couldn't go forward with confidence knowing they would have enough staff to meet the minimum requirements for a residential care facility," he says.
The board is considering other options for the facility. They plan to hold a public meeting in the coming weeks.
