Hazel Carpenter Home closing

ONEIDA, N.Y. >> After more than 136 years assisting the senior population of Madison County, the Hazel L. Carpenter Adult Home is closing its doors.

In a statement on their website and Facebook page, officials said “...it is with a very heavy heart, and re- gret that the Board of Managers of the Hazel Carpenter Home, have made the decision to close our Adult Home. We have provided services to the Senior population of Madison County for over 136 years, and this decision was a very difficult one to make. A slow, steady decline in our number of new resident admissions over the past 6 years, in combination with shorter lengths-of-stays, forced us to this decision. The board of managers, home administrator and staff are doing everything necessary to make the transition of our current residents to a new facility as easy as possible. Thank you all for your generous support through the years. The Board will be pursuing other options for continuing to support senior citizens in Madison County through their charitable not-forprofit corporation.”

Originally named The Old Ladies Home of Madison County, the facility was established in 1882 through a collaborative effort by area churches in order to provide shelter for homeless women in the area. Originally, it occupied the corner of West and Stone streets. In 1915, the home moved to its current location on Main Street in Oneida. The facility became cohabited by both men and women in the 1970s.

The Home was named after Hazel Carpenter shortly afterward. Carpenter was the president on the board for the home for many years and was involved in sev- eral key advancements and changes through her tenure.

PHOTO COURTESY HAZEL CARPENTER HOME Women from the Old Ladies Home on Stone and West streets in the early 1900s.