NRCC rest home may close doors May 17

New River Country Care Center is scheduled to close May 17. Ken R. Rapauch, vice-president of Diversicare, the Kernersville-based company which operates NRCC, said the company informed the state's division of facility services and the Alleghany County Department of Social Services of its intention to close the rest-home facility.

Lisa Osborne, adult home specialist with DSS, confirmed that she received written notification of the closing on April 17, meeting the 30-day notice requirement. Residents have also been notified, she said.

A.S. (Steve) Pierce of Kernersville owns the building and leases it to Diversicare. "He asked us to close that building," said Rapauch. Wanda Landaverde, director of NRCC, said the facility currently has 24 patients.

On Monday Landaverde said the center might possibly stay open beyond May 17. She said Pierce was expected to attend a meeting Wednesday and a decision could be reached then.

At one point, she said Pierce might send a letter early this week to Osborne about NRCC remaining open. Osborne said she had not received such a letter before presstime Tuesday.

Rapauch said, "The only reason it would remain open (beyond May 17) is if we haven't found suitable accommodations for all the residents....It depends on how quickly we can relocate the residents to other facilities. It will remain open until the last resident has been transferred."

Rapauch said the company is assisting in transferring residents. Landaverde could not be reached for comment Tuesday before presstime. No telephone number was available for Pierce or his company, Pierce Management Group. A directory-assistance operator said an A.S. Pierce and Associates was listed in Asheboro, but with a non-published number.

Some to SunBridge

Some of New River's patients are transferring to SunBridge Care & Rehabilitation of Alleghany. Rob Burris, admissions coordinator at SunBridge, said that facility is accepting about 10 or 12 patients from NRCC; seven of them are already at SunBridge.

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