PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) – After months of preparation, Presque Isle Rehab and Nursing Center closed its doors for the final time Thursday evening after the last remaining resident left the facility. Presque Isle Rehab and Nursing Center announced March 1 that it would close its doors indefinitely, citing staff shortages as the primary reason. Since then, family members have had to seek care for their loved ones elsewhere, but thanks to cooperation with surrounding facilities, each resident has found a new place to call home.

Phil Cyr, president of Presque Isle Rehab and Nursing Center, said, “It took us just under six months to complete the process. We thought we would have done it in four months, but it ended up taking longer. The process involved moving residents to other facilities where they could receive adequate care. Of the 49 residents who were in Presque Isle rehab on March 1, 30 were placed at Caribou Rehab and Nursing Center. Others were placed in other facilities in the county. At least one, maybe two, had to go to Bangor because they had family members there. The process involves making sure the receiving facility is able to adequately care for the resident. It was a process that was discussed at length with family members so that everyone was very comfortable with the placement as best as possible.”

Cyr says the process took longer than expected, in part because it was difficult to find facilities that met the specific needs of each resident. “The last resident left last Thursday morning. The more difficult part of moving residents is verifying that the receiving facility can take care of their needs. Some people may have behavioral issues or extensive medical needs that need to be properly addressed. We took the more difficult residents and brought them to Caribou because we know other facilities may be hesitant to take someone with more significant care needs, and that’s why we at Caribou Rehab took it upon ourselves to bring these people here.”

Now that each resident has found a new home, Cyr would like to thank the residents’ families for their cooperation, the community for their support, and the staff who have loyally supported the center throughout the process.

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