Today the nursing industry is far from stable, especially here in New York State, but personnel shifts are bound to occur.
Turnover has become commonplace inside nursing facilities with frontline workers still actively combatting the spread of COVID-19.
This new trend now seemingly even applies to the We Care Centers portfolio, according to an anonymous source.
In an email sent to FingerLakes1.com, it alleges that We Care CEO Ari Grinspan has designated Kristen Duran, the active director of nursing at Elm Manor to assume the same role, but at a different facility: The Brook at High Falls Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
“We Care CEO, Ari Grinspan, has assigned Kristen Duran, Director of Nursing at Elm Manor in Canandaigua, to take over as the acting Director of Nursing at The Brook at High Falls Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Rochester, a sister facility of Elm Manor,” the tip read.
With only 28 certified beds on-hand, this facility is significantly dwarfed by size in comparison to Elm Manor.
More than 30-miles north of Canandaigua is where the Brook at High Falls is located, its a nearly 45-minute commute one-way depending on traffic.
Disability rights advocate reflects on time at Elm Manor Rehabilitation in Canandaigua
It still remains unclear whether Duran is in-fact stepping down from her role at Elm Manor to take on her new tasks as the next Director of Nursing in Rochester.
But just before the start of September on August 31st, the Brook at High Falls Facebook page posted a job listing specifically to find a professional to fill that aforementioned position.
“Given your ongoing investigation, I figured you might be interested to hear this information given the egregious mishandling if the COVID-19 situation at Elm Manor,” the tip concluded.
This insider knowledge from Elm Manor surfaced just a few days before the expected conclusion of a FOIL Request submitted to Ontario County over the summer related to its knowledge about issues at Elm Manor and Ontario Center.
Editor’s Note: FingerLakes1.com contacted We Care Centers on Tuesday, September 8th ahead of publishing this story and still hadn’t received a comment.
Gabe covered health and indigenous affairs in the Finger Lakes between 2019 and 2022. His award winning coverage was cited by the federal government and provided residents with an invaluable service during the coronavirus pandemic.