Meurthe-et-Moselle. Saint-Louis nursing home in Longwy: "No worries," according to management

A storm in a teacup. This is the feeling Alexandre Nicolas conveys. Without intervening in the political sphere, the director of the Longwy and Longuyon nursing homes (Ehpad) addresses the concerns raised by Longwy's elected officials at the last municipal council meeting at the end of May. These fears led municipal councilors to vote to reverse the merger between the Saint-Louis and Louis-Quinquet retirement homes.

According to the director, this merger is necessary to "strengthen cooperation between public structures in the Pays-Haut, pool administrative resources, and increase attractiveness." It is also legitimate. "The Saint-Louis nursing home has been under public hospital management since the 1960s. It does not fall under the status of a municipal establishment. The management of both establishments – Saint-Louis in Longwy and Louis-Quinquet in Longuyon – is ensured by the same director seconded by the Cœur Grand Est Territorial Hospital Group (GHT). Finally, the legal merger between the two public nursing homes was finalized in June 2024, with the agreement of the boards of directors, and ratified by joint decree of the Regional Health Agency (ARS) and the Department in December 2024," he specifies.

For Alexandre Nicolas, there are therefore no "threats" weighing on the Saint-Louis nursing home. "The merger allows for enhanced coordination while respecting the autonomy of each structure." Thus, "The Saint-Louis nursing home continues its mission with teams fully mobilized to guarantee quality support for the elderly it cares for. To date, no changes have impacted the organization of the facility or the quality of care provided."

And to reassure residents and their families: "This administrative merger in no way affects residents' freedom to choose their care pathway. Healthcare professionals will continue to direct each person to the facilities best suited to their needs. The GHT Cœur Grand Est is not imposing any transfers or changes in residents' care habits."

Alexandre Nicolas also does not question the project for a new nursing home. "The management is working in conjunction with the ARS and the Department on a project to rebuild a new facility in the Longwy area , with a view to the end of the current lease scheduled for 2028," he concludes.