Workers, residents worry about conditions at Menlo nursing home Workers, residents worry about conditions at Menlo nursing home (September 15, 2004)

By Rebecca Wallace
Almanac Staff Writer

With candles in paper cups, health-care workers and union members held a "vigil" September 9 at the Menlo Park Place Health Care Center on Crane Street.

They were protesting conditions in the nursing home they say have arisen since owner Catherine Joseph took over on June 1.

Sophia Mendoza, an organizer with Service Employees International Union Local 250, said employees are having their health insurance cut and supplies are often short. About 85 of the 120 employees, including registered nurses, housekeepers and cooks, are trying to join the union, but the home's management is opposing that, she said.

Employees are also concerned about layoffs in light of Ms. Joseph's announcement that the home's third floor will be closed, Ms. Mendoza said.

Ms. Joseph later told the Almanac she plans to close the third floor for about a year for repairs, and lay off 20 to 25 staff members who will not be needed then.

She said there's "a tremendous amount of work to do to bring the building up to code," including repairing the elevators and air conditioning system and replacing furniture and bathroom tiles.

Ms. Joseph dismissed the union's other charges as untrue.

Meanwhile, several nursing home residents said during a September 3 residents' meeting that they were concerned about having to move on short notice from the third floor. Some also said they've noticed a shortage of supplies such as toilet paper and rubber gloves.

"I hear concern and fear (from other residents)," one resident said.

Ms. Joseph told the Almanac that a few of the 49 third-floor residents will be able to move to other floors, but most will have to go to other homes.

"We give them a 30-day notice and help them find a new place," she said.

Representatives of several elected officials, including Assemblyman Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, and San Mateo County Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson, attended the residents' meeting. An aide to Ms. Jacobs Gibson later said the supervisor was looking into the concerns.

In February, the state's Department of Health Services denied the application of Prema and Antony Thekkek to take over the nursing home from Atlanta-based Mariner Health Care. The county Board of Supervisors had passed a resolution asking the state to deny the license to them.

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