New Owner-Operator Set to Take Over Seven Remaining Atrium Care Centers in Receivership

The court-appointed receiver for the former Atrium Health & Senior Living portfolio in Wisconsin and Michigan on Thursday announced that a new owner and operator has been found for the remaining seven centers in receivership.

Last year, the Circuit Court of Wood County appointed attorney Michael Polsky as the receiver for 33 Atrium Health and Senior Living facilities, which included both skilled nursing and assisted living properties.

At the start of 2019, four of the skilled nursing facilities were closed; 22 of the senior housing and care facilities were tentatively set to be transferred to the Glendale, Wis.-based North Shore Healthcare as of last week.

The Skokie, Ill.-based Synergy Senior Care LLC is now set to take over the remaining seven properties in Wisconsin, subject to court approval and licensure from the Wisconsin Department of Health, according to a joint statement released Thursday.

The portfolio includes four post-acute care centers and three senior living communities.

“Synergy is very excited to acquire these seven facilities,” Synergy CEO Slava Pukshansky told Skilled Nursing News. “We look forward to becoming an integrated part of the community and providing compassionate care to compassionate people.”

Assuming the transaction is approved and Synergy obtains the necessary licenses, the goal is to have operations of the facilities transition on or shortly after December 1 — the same timeline as the other 22 properties set to go to North Shore.

“Synergy is excited to have the opportunity to elevate the level of care provided in these seven Atrium-Midwest care centers and develop these locations as partners to both residents and local communities,” Synergy COO Mitul Lindemann said in the press release announcing the potential deal.

As with the soon-to-be North Shore properties, Synergy’s seven facilities had been under the temporary stewardship of the Minnesota-based Health Dimensions Group.

“We are committed to a smooth transition of operations to Synergy,” Health Dimensions Group CEO Erin Shvetzoff Hennessey said in the joint statement. “We will miss our partnership with the wonderful residents, families, and staff at Atrium-Midwest care.”

Pukshansky has experience operating in Wisconsin, he told SNN, making these facilities an attractive option.

“The facilities we believe are intrinsically good facilities, and we believe they have tremendous potential,” he said.

Synergy is not the only operator that sees potential in facilities in receivership in the state of Wisconsin. The recently formed Bedrock Healthcare LLC last month took over seven properties formerly operated by Dycora Transitional Health and Living, and co-founder Kenny Nichols told SNN that the operator — which previously only operated two facilities in Kentucky and Tennessee — is excited to be in the Badger State.

“The state Medicaid reimbursement has had some changes as well, which have been positive to the whole industry here,” he told SNN.