Senior Care Provider Plans Cuts, Partnership

South Shore Elder Services, a Braintree nonprofit that coordinates in-home care for older adults, plans to cut 52 jobs between June 1 and June 30. (sselder.org) The agency said on April 14 that it faces “significant financial challenges,” including reimbursement shortfalls, and has been working with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging and Independence on updated projections. A WARN notice dated April 3 lists 52 affected employees in Braintree. (sselder.org) (democratandchronicle.com) State officials told South Shore Elder Services that its two-year Aging Services Access Point contract will not be renewed when it expires on June 30, 2026, according to the nonprofit. The agency said that decision is forcing a client transition to another provider and could mean some older adults get new caseworkers. (sselder.org) Aging Services Access Points are the regional nonprofits Massachusetts uses to connect adults 60 and older with home care, meals, caregiver support, housing help, transportation and protective services. The state says there are 24 of them across the Commonwealth. (mass.gov) South Shore Elder Services covers 11 communities: Braintree, Cohasset, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Milton, Norwell, Quincy, Randolph, Scituate and Weymouth. Its website says it serves older adults, especially low-income residents and minority seniors, from offices at 350 Granite Street in Braintree. (sselder.org 1) (sselder.org 2) At the same time, South Shore Elder Services and Old Colony Elder Services said they signed a letter of intent in January 2026 to explore a strategic partnership. Old Colony, based in Brockton, said the talks are aimed at stabilizing services across the South Shore and greater Plymouth County. (sselder.org) (ocesma.org) Both nonprofits tied the talks to the same problem: rising financial and workforce pressure in the aging-services sector. South Shore said no final decision has been made on the partnership. (sselder.org) (ocesma.org) The job cuts also hit a unionized workplace. South Shore said it is working with state partners and SEIU Local 509 during the transition, and a collective bargaining agreement on the union’s website covers South Shore employees through June 30, 2027. (sselder.org) (seiu509.org) For clients and families, the immediate deadline is June 30, when South Shore’s current state contract ends. The agency said it will contact people directly about care plans and any changes to their services. (sselder.org)