Skilled Nursing Facility in St. Louis Closes Suddenly

The largest skilled nursing facility in St. Louis has closed suddenly, leaving approximately 170 residents displaced and in need of immediate care. The closure of Northview Village Nursing Home on Friday came as a shock to both residents and their families.

Due to the abrupt shutdown, residents were forced to leave the facility with only the clothes on their backs. They arrived at new care centers without their medical records and other essential documentation, causing further confusion and concern.

The closure was triggered by the decision of workers to walk out after learning that they might not receive their salaries. This unexpected development left residents and their relatives in a state of uncertainty.

Phyllis Gibson, a concerned family member, expressed her surprise upon discovering the closure. She only found out about it on Saturday when she saw the news. It wasn't until Sunday that she received a call from another nursing home, informing her about the whereabouts of her brother, Ned.

"Nobody said a word," Gibson shared with CBS News affiliate KMOV.

"I've been driving back and forth to that nursing home trying to find out what's going on," said Alvin Cooper. "They don't know where he is. I don't know if he's somewhere safe or what's going to happen to him." 

Staff concerned over missed paychecks

The problems started on Friday when over 130 employees of the nursing home went unpaid, according to the union representing the workers. When the employees inquired about their late bi-weekly paychecks, they discovered that the payments were not coming at all, as stated by Marjorie Moore, the executive director of VOYCE, an agency in St. Louis that serves as an advocate for long-term care residents and their families. 

The shutdown began as employees expressed their concerns, according to Lenny Jones, the state director for the Service Employees International Union Healthcare union, which represents about 100 of the approximately 130 workers who were displaced.

"They ran out of money to pay the employees, causing this major disruption, and quickly proceeded with their goal, which was to close down the facility," Jones said. "You would have had to plan to move 175 residents in the middle of the night."

Cherie Ford, a certified nursing assistant at Northview Village, said she suspected something was wrong on Friday when her direct-deposit paycheck did not appear in her account. Nonetheless, she and her colleagues worked a full day.

"We had no warning, the residents knew nothing either," she said in a Facebook Messenger interview.

Workers at Northview Village Left Unpaid Before Christmas

December 19, 2023

Employees at Northview Village, a long-term care facility, were devastated when they learned they would not be receiving their paychecks just before Christmas. The news came as a shock to many workers who were relying on the money for rent, holiday shopping, and other expenses.

Marvetta Harrison, a certified medical technician with 37 years of service at the facility, expressed her frustration and disappointment. "This is real wrong. I have worked in that building for 37 years. Not only did they mistreat us, they mistreated the residents we take care of," she said.

According to reports, the staff received emails from the company over the weekend promising that they would eventually be paid, but there was no clear timeline given. This uncertainty added to the anxiety and financial strain experienced by the workers.

The Troubled History of Northview Village

Northview Village has a troubled history, with numerous federal violations and fines. Since March 2021, the facility has been fined 12 times by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, totaling over $140,000. The fines ranged from $2,200 to more than $45,000, although the specific reasons for the fines have not been disclosed. The facility currently holds a one-star rating from the federal agency.

Inadequate Conditions Lead to Abrupt Closure of St. Louis Nursing Home

A St. Louis nursing home, Northview Village, has been abruptly closed due to multiple complaints and inadequate conditions. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was notified on Friday afternoon and the operator implemented an evacuation plan to relocate residents to other nursing homes.

Since 2016, there have been nearly two dozen investigations into Northview Village, as reported on the state health department website. The most recent complaint in February involved a resident being able to leave the building through an unsecured door. Another complaint in 2021 alleged that the facility failed to investigate allegations of residents leaving the nursing home and bringing drugs into it.

Shamell King, an assistant manager at Superior Manor, another nursing home in the St. Louis area, revealed that some Northview Village residents arrived at their facility without proper documentation of their medical histories or medication needs.

Phone calls to Northview Village and Healthcare Accounting Services, the company that owns the nursing home, went unanswered. Shuttle buses were used to transport residents to at least 15 different facilities across the St. Louis area.

This sudden closure has been described as the "absolute worst-case scenario" by one individual involved.

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"It has been an incredibly chaotic situation as we work tirelessly to ensure that all the residents are safe and accounted for. One of our main priorities as an agency is to establish communication with each resident and make sure they are placed in a facility that aligns with their preferences," a spokesperson stated.

Northview Village, which had a capacity of 320 beds, was the largest skilled nursing facility in St. Louis. Due to their reliance on Medicaid, many residents are unable to secure placement in other long-term care facilities. The center also caters to individuals with behavioral issues," the spokesperson added.