'That stinks': Pacifica Senior Living residents get move-out notices
Apr. 11—Residents of a troubled Santa Fe assisted living community have learned they need to relocate by May 9 ahead of a temporary closure of the building and possible end of services.
Pacifica Senior Living on Galisteo Road began issuing formal notices Wednesday evening to its 32 residents announcing the facility will be shut down and renovated starting in about a month, and the company is considering eliminating assisted living and memory care services when it reopens.
Pacifica "would still offer apartments to seniors who are over 55 for a reduced rate but with no services," the letter said. "We have not yet made a final decision on this direction, however."
Corporate leaders of the San Diego-based assisted living company, which operates centers in 13 states, did not return phone calls Thursday.
The notices came less than a week after residents learned of the company's plans to overhaul its Santa Fe center, requiring residents to move out. Until Wednesday evening, however, it was unclear when the shutdown might happen, creating confusion and anxiety among staff, residents and families.
Several people with loved ones at the center voiced concerns to The New Mexican this week about the quality of basic care and treatment of residents and a lack of available medical care at Pacifica.
Still, they didn't want to see their loved ones displaced by the planned shutdown — in large part, they said, due to the cost. Several families said they had specifically chosen Pacifica because it was one of the most affordable options in town.
Some family members of residents said they did not receive any emails Wednesday announcing the closure.
Penny Rodriguez, whose mother lives at Pacifica, said the facility has contact information for both her and her sister, but as of noon Thursday, neither of them had received an email alerting them their mother will need to find a new place to live.
Rodriguez characterized the lack of communication as "absolutely ridiculous and unfair" to residents and their families.
Margaret Acton, whose mother lives at Pacifica, received an email from the company Wednesday.
She was unhappy about the level of support Pacifica is offering residents in their search for another home.
"The following resources may be available to assist you in identifying alternative housing and care options," the letter said, listing the websites and phone numbers for A Place for Mom and Caring, organizations that help link families with senior communities.
"That just shows the level of integrity and compassion they have, and that stinks," Acton said.
New Mexico Department of Health spokesman David Barre confirmed the timeline for Pacifica's shutdown in an email Thursday morning.
"We received confirmation that certified mail and email 30-day notices were provided last night to residents, and they will receive paper notices this morning, identifying closure as of May 9, 2024," Barre wrote.
The agency found Pacifica out of compliance with state regulations after complaints from residents prompted an investigation. It has not released details about the findings. A report will be released in 30 days, Barre wrote Thursday.
Joey Long, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department, wrote in an email the department's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and Care Transition Program "are actively working with the families and residents of Pacifica to ensure the residents have a safe place to land."
The transition program helps people and their families connect with resources, Long wrote. The ombudsman visits centers and helps advocate for residents' rights and preferences.
The department does not provide regulatory oversight of assisted living centers, Long noted.
Several pending lawsuits filed in recent years on behalf of former Pacifica residents allege negligence or wrongful death.
Acton said she has spoken to a lawyer who is evaluating whether her family and others could pursue a class action lawsuit alleging they were charged for amenities and services Pacifica advertised but did not provide. In the meantime, she is touring other assisted living facilities in Santa Fe.
Beds in assisted living centers are far more plentiful than memory care beds. Acton said she thinks family members of residents who need memory care might have a tougher time finding a new place for their loved ones to live.
"I know one way or another my mom has someplace to go — I will make it work," she said. "But I'm really concerned about those people in memory care."
Vista Living Care President Luke Nachtrab said his two memory care centers in Santa Fe have three available beds. He believes there are enough spaces for the displaced Pacifica residents in Santa Fe — but probably not at Pacifica's price point.
"People may struggle to find a home they can afford," Nachtrab said.
