Waterbury nursing home employees fighting to stay open after funding is pulled

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Employees of a nursing home in Waterbury are fighting for their workplace to stay open after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pulled their federal funding.

Abbott Terrace employees were notified of the closure last week. The CMS said that the closure was because the facility doesn’t meet certain safety requirements.

“These people look up to us like family,” Abbott Terrace employee Rosa Maldonado said. “A lot of them don’t have family. So when we come here, we consider them our family.”

William Capolupo, a resident of the home, called the closure “crushing.”

“You don’t really know what to do or what to think,” Capolupo said. “I’m going on 75 and I don’t really want to move. I hope God works things out for us.”

Abbott Terrace said in a statement that resident care is their top priority.

“Our team worked hard to address the physical plant concerns identified by DPH,” the statement said. “We have invested significant financial resources to assure compliance by upgrading floors, doors and other identified facility infrastructure.”

While they are hoping for the best, they are still preparing for closure. The establishment told News 8 that they’re working to find other locations for their residents, as well as employment opportunities for their employees.

The facility would close in October if nothing changes.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.