Community members are invited to do a “drive-by” goodbye to Kilchis House staff on Friday February 11th at noon.
In December 2021, the CARE Board of Directors announced the closures of assisted living communities, Kilchis House and Nehalem Bay House. Since then, CARE and Northwest Senior and Disability Service has been working diligently with our residents and their families to find long-term, sustainable housing options. We are pleased to report that all 56 residents have identified the housing solution that works best for their individual situation. Unfortunately, due to the limited number of beds in Tillamook County, not everyone was able to remain in the county. Close to 40% of those who left the county are doing so to receive the type of skilled nursing or memory care that are simply not available anywhere in Tillamook County.
After a long and rigorous process of reviewing the financial performance of our assisted living facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the CARE Board of Directors made the difficult decision to close the Kilchis House and the Nehalem Bay House, effective February 11. At this time, we are on track to meet this deadline. As difficult as this process has been for all our residents, their families, and the staff of our two houses, we can confidently say that all our residents have found a housing solution that fits their individual needs.
During this transition, we have also been working with our staff to ensure that our residents continue to receive quality care, and to help them find stable and secure employment once these facilities close. We are pleased to say that since our announcement in December, close to 80% of staff have remained with the houses and their residents. “I cannot express how grateful we are for the dedication our staff has shown during this challenging time,” reflects Peter Starkey, CARE’s Executive Director. “We are also so grateful to our partners around Tillamook who made is possible for us to retain these incredible people as part of our community,” continues Starkey, “and from what we are hearing, all of our staff will be remaining in Tillamook County to begin the next chapter of their career.”
Community members are invited to do a “drive-by” goodbye to Kilchis House staff on Friday February 11th at noon.
The CARE Board of Directors, in consultation with community partners and stakeholders, continues to review all options for the future of these properties, the best options for CARE and the community. CARE continues to serve the community through it’s emergency and homeless services, and Healthy Families programs. To receive updates and information as this process unfolds, additional details will be provided in local media, and on CARE’s Facebook @TillamookCARE.
