OMAHA, Neb. — Dozens of residents face an October 15 deadline to relocate as the facility cites rising operating costs.
Families of residents at Hickory Villa Assisted Living are facing an urgent and emotional scramble after being told their loved ones must relocate by October 15. The facility is being sold, and many families say they were blindsided by the news.
"How do you just tell an establishment with over 100 people that they have until October 15th to be out," one family member said. "Half these people don't even have families to relocate them."
Buffy Bush's 72-year-old father has lived at Hickory Villa for four years. Less than six months ago, she moved her 92-year-old grandmother — his mother — into the same facility so the two could be close to each other.
"My dad and my grandmother are two peas in a pod," Bush said. "They eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. They have bingo together. Any outings, they go and do them together. They sit outside and watch the traffic together."
Bush says finding a new home for both of them has become an emotional and overwhelming process. While her aunt is handling things for her grandma, Bush is in charge of finding a home for her dad.
"I cried every day. Literally. I've cried every day because... everywhere has a long waiting list. A lot of them don't even have openings. And I just keep thinking, Where am I going to put my dad?" Bush said.
In a statement, Hickory Villa headquarters Bethesda Senior Living Communities CEO, Dana Rasic said:
"Bethesda, as a non-profit senior living provider, has had the privilege of serving seniors in Nebraska since our founding in 1959, guided by our mission to Serve Seniors, Serve our Community, and Serve Others. Decisions like this one are never easy, and we recognize the impact this closure has on our residents, their families, and our dedicated staff at Hickory Villa, many of whom have poured their hearts into caring for this community for years.
Unfortunately, rising operating costs combined with other economic pressures have made it extremely difficult for us to sustain this level of care at Hickory Villa. This was not a decision we arrived at lightly, and we understand the uncertainty and emotion that comes with a resident having to leave a place they call home.
Our residents' well-being remains our top priority throughout this transition. We will continue providing the same level of care and attention to every resident at Hickory Villa until they have relocated, with all moves completed prior to October 16th. To help make this process as smooth as possible, we have provided each family with a personalized resource guide, notified the local Long-Term Care Ombudsman, coordinated directly with resident advocates and case workers to support each resident's transition, and provided financial assistance to every resident affected.
We are committed to walking alongside our residents and their families every step of the way, and to assisting each person to settle into a new home that continues to meet their needs with dignity and compassion."
Bush says her grandmother has a temporary placement while she searches for a permanent home, but her father does not yet have a place to go.
"Where does Dad go? On a couch? Until we get him situated? At my place, temporarily, until we can get him situated," Bush said.
Hickory Villa offered Bush's loved ones $500 toward moving costs, but Bush says the money provides little comfort given how difficult it has been to find a new placement for her family.
Facebook 
YouTube
Instagram
XThis story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
