Stamford Representatives Rally to Save Rosenthal Hospice

The Board of Directors for Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care of Southwestern CT have voted to close the Richard L. Rosenthal Hospice Residence, and the Stamford community is actively moving to stop it.

"It's a facility that has touched a broad range of people in the community," State Representative Dan Fox (D-Stamford) told Patch. "The facility has been here in Stamford for over ten years...they are closing down at the end of this month, and are no longer taking on new patients."

In a recent press release, Fox stated that last July, a friend of his passed away in the Rosenthal hospice, located at 100 Shellburne Road, which will close all 12 of its beds and discontinue all services if its closure cannot be prevented. "As a member of the Regulatory Review Committee, I look forward to scrutinizing draft regulations within the state Department of Public Health that could provide an opportunity for Rosenthal to keep their doors open," Fox announced.

According to Fox, one of the major reasons behind the hospice's closure is in regards to its licensing. "They are licensed as a skilled nursing facility, but they are, in fact, a hospice," Fox said. "Due to the requirements of a skilled nursing facility that a hospice does not necessarily need...the facility was finding it very difficult to survive."

The fight to save the Rosenthal hospice began on Nov. 7 afternoon public hearing. The public hearing, in which interested parties could could openly petition against the closure of the hospice, is the first in a series of steps that the hospice must take in finalizing the shutdown.

"They cannot simply close their doors. They must file for closure with the Dept. of Social Services, who must rule on the closure within 90 days," Fox said. "The hearing was standing-room only."

According to Fox, Stamford residents, members of the Rosenthal staff, and state politicians such as State Sen. Carlo Leone were present for the hearing.

Despite public and political involvement, even Fox isn't certain of the odds of success in saving the hospice before a ruling is made on its fate.

"We're going to do everything we can to work this out with Stamford residents," Fox said. "If there's an option to keep the facility open, we will pursue it."

Editor's Note: The administration of Stamford Hospital has no involvement with the closure of the Richard J. Rosenthal Hospice.