The only medical eldercare facility in East Virginia – SeniorCare Geriatric Medical Center – is set to close next month due to lack of interest from the elderly and their caretakers. It was run by majority owner Dantra Healthcare and Mary Washington Healthcare. When it began in May 2011, the hope was that it would fill a gap in senior services while offering services to the continually growing population of elderly – around 32,000 individuals according to the US Census Bureau. In addition, it is expected that this will increase with the aging of the baby boom generation.
What is most unfortunate about the upcoming closure of the facility is that it really was the only one of its kind, since it offered services both in-house (at its office in Spotsylvania County) and outside, caring for the elderly in their homes. There were five members of staff including a board-certified geriatrician and a nurse practitioner. The home visits were very popular, but the elderly did not generally tend to come into the office, so that part of the business was very slow. The anticipated need of seeing patients in the clinic just didn’t happen.
Once it closes, a nurse practitioner will continue to see the patients who are unable to leave their homes, at home. And it is hoped that this change will not cause any disturbance in patient care.