NEWS RELEASE
November 16, 2023
CONTACT: Rachel Hrbolich, Diocesan Liaison with Catholic Long-Term Care
(330) 744-8451, ext. 328; rhrbolich@youngstowndiocese.org
ADDITIONAL MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Huyck, Director of Communications
(330) 744-8451, ext. 320; jhuyck@youngstowndiocese.org
Youngstown, Ohio – The Most Rev. David J. Bonnar, Bishop of Youngstown, and Chairman of the St. Joseph Care Center Corporation, announces that the Members of the Corporation have made the decision to sell St. Joseph Care Center, a senior living facility located in Louisville, Ohio. This unanimous decision was made by the Members of the Corporation at their annual meeting on November 7, 2023. The decision follows years of significant financial losses amid complex challenges facing standalone long-term care facilities throughout the United States, including the rising costs of providing quality care.
As a non-profit corporation, the St. Joseph Care Center has a board of directors responsible for governance and oversight. The Members of the Corporation have overall control, which includes specific reserved powers set forth in the code of regulations. One of those reserved powers is to authorize the sale of encumbered property owned by the Corporation.
Established by the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Mark as a Hospice in 1927, St. Joseph Care Center, a facility also known as St. Joseph Senior Living, operates a 60-bed skilled nursing facility, which includes 19 wellness center beds for rehabilitation; a 67-unit assisted living facility, which includes an 18-bed memory care unit; and a 66-unit independent living facility. “We reached the decision to sell St. Joseph Care Center with very heavy hearts,” explains Bishop Bonnar. “We know that peoples’ lives are impacted by this decision—residents as well as staff and the greater community. We are grateful to the Board of Directors and staff for their efforts to sustain operations during difficult times.”
The most significant challenge for St. Joseph Care Center over the past few years has been its service structure. The costs associated with providing skilled nursing care far outpaced the modest revenue generated by the organization’s assisted living, independent living and memory care segments. The pandemic compounded this challenge by giving way to staffing shortages and a reliance on more expensive options, such as the use of professional services, to ensure comprehensive patient care.
The Diocese of Youngstown has engaged the Akron consulting firm McMahon and Associates to assist with the facilitation of a sale and to support operational leadership during this time of transition. McMahon and Associates has been providing consultation and interim management services to St. Joseph Care Center since October 2022.
Day-to-day operations at St. Joseph Care Center will remain the same as the Diocese of Youngstown works with McMahon and Associates on identifying a buyer for the facility.
Bishop Bonnar comments, “We know this process may take some time. As we enter into this transitional period, we want to assure residents, resident families, and the dedicated St. Joseph Care Center staff that the Diocese is committed to finding a buyer who will carry on the rich tradition of compassionate care established by the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Mark nearly 100 years ago.”
For more information, contact Rachel Hrbolich, Diocesan Liaison with Catholic Long-Term Care, at 330-744-8451, ext. 328 or rhrbolich@youngstowndiocese.org.
