IPSWICH, S.D.(Aberdeen American News)- Avantara Ipswich has announced plans to close the nursing home by the end of May.

“It is always a difficult decision to close a skilled nursing facility, but the challenges related to staffing and the continued impact of COVID-19 have created an environment where we can no longer keep the doors of Avantara Ipswich open,” Connie Ortega said on behalf of Avantara Ipswich in a news release.

“The staff at Avantara Ipswich are incredibly hardworking and dedicated to the care of our residents and community,” she said. “They deserve to be recognized for their commitment, especially over the last two years. They are true heroes in the community and we will be working closely with both our residents and staff to help them through the closure of Avantara Ipswich.”

According to Avantara, the company has owned the Ipswich nursing home since June 1, 2019.

Plans will be developed for each resident to ensure their health and well-being are prioritized as they relocate, according to the release. Support will also be available to employees as they search for new jobs. Avantara Ipswich has 17 residents and 51 employees.

Avantara Ipswich has invested in the building and personnel to keep the nursing home open, per the release. However, after exhausting internal and external resources and visiting with state officials, it became apparent that it is no longer viable to operate the facility.

Avantara Ipswich has provided a formal “notice of closure” to the South Dakota Office of Licensure and Certification in addition to providing written notice to residents.