Community Rallies Against Closure of Beloved Queens Health Care Facility: What You Need to Know

David Paller, a resident of Rockaway, relies on the Neponsit Adult Day Health Care center for support with his COPD and other health challenges. This center offers a range of activities, nutritious meals, and essential care for various conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and incontinence.

“It’s like a family here. They have a nurse and a physical therapist on-site,” David shared.

His friend and health care proxy, Jeanmarie Fitsch, added, “This place helps people stay out of nursing homes. They really focus on maintaining dignity.”

However, the future of Neponsit is uncertain.

The New York City Health + Hospitals Corporation, which runs the center, plans to shut it down soon due to low attendance. They report that although the center can accommodate 50 people, only about 15 attend each day.

Andrew Falzon, whose father received care for dementia at Neponsit before he passed away, expressed his concerns. “If they close this place, it will hurt the whole community,” he said. “This program is a precious resource, and instead of shutting it down, they should support it.”

He believes that restrictions on admissions and insurance have contributed to the low attendance at the center.

In a statement, NYC Health + Hospitals acknowledged the difficulty of such closures. They said they are now focused on helping the few remaining registrants find alternative care options. They are also providing social work services to assist families during the transition.

Jeanmarie emphasized that the community already lacks sufficient services. Paller would likely need to travel to Canarsie for similar care, which is not practical for someone with his health issues. “It’s tough for someone like him to travel 40 minutes on a bus when they have respiratory problems,” she explained.

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Queens, NYC Health + Hospitals, Health Care