The headline “Winthrop nursing home put on federal special focus list” was an injustice to North Country Associates. Accidents happen but to broadcast it to every one of your readers is proof of the old adage that bad news sells papers. To provide positive news about Northern Country Associates, let’s look at my experiences with them. My wife has Alzheimer’s. Her first home was a North Country Associates home in Hallowell. Wonderful, pristine and only 11 years old.

However, it was very far to travel to visit so with the help of a social worker I managed to get my wife transferred to another North Country home called Country Manor. My wife loved it there and I was able to visit every day. But in the pandemic, things changed. I could only see my wife twice per month and outside and 6 feet apart. As the COVID-19 took its toll on people working in the nursing facilities, help became scarce and unfortunately Country Manor had to close its doors. I must mention the staff at Country Manor kept COVID-19 out of that facility, which was a miracle.

Now at Heritage I feel they are being given a black eye which is so sad. As mentioned before accidents happen and just last year Heritage had a five-star rating. At the North Country homes that my wife was in and now is in, everyone deserves to be honored for all they do.

Personally I have no doubt that Heritage will conform to the list but bear in mind also sometimes one rotten apple can spoil the whole bunch. Let’s not spoil all the wonderful work North Country has done in the past and will do in the future.

Frank Slason

Somerville