BLAKELY, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A local nursing home is set to close its doors after it failed to meet Medicare's health and safety guidelines. Now, residents and their families are forced to find a new place to stay.
Aventura at Terrace View, formerly known as Lackawanna Health and Rehab Center, announced last week that they would be closing its doors.
The notice gave residents and their families just 30 days to find a new facility.
Aventura at Terrace View houses roughly 111 residents, but after the facility failed to meet Medicare and Medicaid's health and safety requirements, they're being forced to relocate.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency that oversees Medicare and Medicaid, told the facility that as of April 30, it would no longer be eligible to participate in the Medicare program.
In their public notice of termination to the facility, CMS said the following:
CMS requires facilities to meet certain health and safety standards to be certified as a Medicare provider. Mandatory termination of a provider agreement is generally a last resort after all other attempts to remedy the deficiencies at a facility have been exhausted. In this instance, CMS has found that Aventura at Terrace View is out of compliance with CMS’s health and safety requirements. While we understand that relocation of residents and patients can be challenging for all parties involved, CMS prioritizes patient safety and care quality.
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The facility was put under a provisional license in October of 2024, banning new admissions until they could rectify previous deficiencies with the Department of Health.
A former employee 28/22 News spoke with claims that the facility's administration was constantly cutting corners, jeopardizing the health and safety of its residents. He says on more than one occasion, the facility failed to send fall victims to the hospital until family members stepped in to take action.
Despite these claims, Neil Marcen, whose mother has lived at the nursing facility for the last four and a half years, tells 28/22 News overall, he and his mother have had good experiences with Aventura.
"The core was pretty good, and the care was good, the dietary department was good, activities were great, my mom enjoyed the activities," Marcen said.
Heavy rain causes flooding, drainage pipe burst in church
Marcen says conditions in the facility were similar to how they were under the previous owner, but that constant changes in management made them tough to deal with at times.
"When there's constant change, you know, just like a sports team or something like that, if you're constantly changing the coach, there is some resettlement," Marcen added.
Marcen says he's already found a new place for his mother and says he's hopeful for a fresh start.
Now, Marcen says Aventura hosted an open house last week, allowing him and other family members to find a new facility for their loved ones.
28/22 News did reach out to the administration at Aventura Terrace View about the allegations, but did not get a response.
