Kaiser Permanente to Close Last Nursing Home, Cut 249 jobs

Kaiser Permanente announced the permanent closure of its last nursing home in California, resulting in 249 job losses across various roles.

The job cuts involve administrators, physical therapists, dietitians, licensed vocational nurses, and certified nursing assistants.

The decision to shut down the facility follows a gradual decline in patient numbers over the last 11 years, Kaiser said in a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Despite the closure, there will be no disruption in services for its members, Kaiser said. Patients have been transitioned to home care or other nearby community facilities, where they will continue to receive oversight from Kaiser Permanente physicians.

“With plenty of time before the planned closure, our team worked closely with patients and their families to ensure they all had a safe and smooth transition, whether appropriately discharged home or transferred to a high-quality facility in the community,” the company said. “We have built a strong network of excellent skilled nursing facilities in the community to provide our patients with this care and we have advanced programs to provide the types of home-based care patients increasingly tell us they prefer.”

The closure process began in June, with all patients having been moved by the end of July. The company has worked closely with patients and their families to ensure a smooth transition to alternative care.

Located in San Leandro, the closure of the Kaiser Permanente Post Acute Care Center is set for mid-November,

The facility was previously recognized as one of California’s top nursing homes by the U.S. News & World Report for the 2018-19 period.

Affected employees will receive support in their job search and have the opportunity to apply for other positions within Kaiser Permanente.