Windsor Locks nursing home closes after 93‑year‑old resident's death
Two months after a 93‑year‑old woman died after being found in freezing conditions, the Windsor Locks nursing home she wandered out of has shut down.
State officials say all residents have now been relocated from the Bickford Health Care Center. The closure follows a state investigation into the facility and has renewed calls from lawmakers and families for stronger oversight of nursing homes across Connecticut.
Margaret Healey, 93, was found dead in the snow in February after leaving the facility, according to authorities. Her death sparked an investigation by the Connecticut Department of Public Health and remains under criminal review.
“This is a wake-up call what happened with this tragic death,” said Sen. Jeff Gordon (R‑Woodstock).
State officials ordered all residents to be moved out of the facility by Friday. That process has now been completed, according to the state.
“They’ve been moved to new homes, but we forget the trauma that they and their families have faced for quite some time in this nursing home,” said Rep. Jane Garibay (D‑Windsor Locks).
Families say the relocation process was difficult. Clare Kindall said that finding a new home for her mother was nerve‑racking and heartbreaking. Kindall is also Healey’s niece.
Healey’s death prompted a state investigation that uncovered numerous alleged health and safety violations at the facility.
“What happened, how can we do better? How do we change to make things better?” Garibay said.
For Garibay, the issue is deeply personal. She said her brother died at the same nursing home several years ago after choking on food and later developing pneumonia.
Now, Garibay and other lawmakers say they want answers and accountability to prevent another tragedy.
“We never want to revisit another unnecessary death that could have been prevented anywhere in Connecticut in a nursing facility,” Gordon said.
Mairead Painter, the state’s long-term care ombudsman, said staffing levels at nursing homes are already a concern statewide.
“We hope that people continue to speak up and speak out when something doesn’t feel right in the home that they’re living in or their family members living in,” Painter said.
NBC Connecticut was unable to reach anyone from Bickford Health Care Center for comment Friday. Previously, an attorney for the facility said it was cooperating with multiple investigations.
Police say their criminal investigation remains ongoing, and they are still waiting for the medical examiner’s report.
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