52 Job Cuts, Partnership Planned At Braintree Senior Care Provider: Update

BRAINTREE, MA — A Braintree nonprofit that provides home care for older people, South Shore Elder Services, plans to cut 52 jobs – roughly a third of its workforce – as it considers joining forces with a similar organization in Brockton.

South Shore Elder Services plans to lay off the employees in June, according to a notice filed late Friday with the state. The notice was updated Monday with the number of job losses.

Sandra Lindsey, South Shore CEO, told Patch that the cuts are unrelated to a potential partnership with Old Colony Elder Services.

However, both the layoffs and the possible pairing come in response to growing challenges that elder service providers face.

“As organizations across the aging services sector face growing financial and workforce pressures, we are taking proactive steps to ensure the long-term stability of critical services in the region,” SSES said in a March statement.

On Monday, Lindsey said, “We are looking at how we can make our operations stronger and still be compassionate to the families we serve.

“We really hope to collaborate. We love what we do.”

Founded 48 years ago and headquartered at 350 Granite St., South Shore Elder Services employs more than 160 people. It reported revenue of $37 million in 2023, the most recent year for which tax information was available – but ended up in the red by over $1 million.

On March 18, SSES said it had signed a letter of intent “to explore a strategic partnership” with Old Colony, based 10 miles away at 144 Main St., Brockton.

That nonprofit is considerably larger than South Shore Elder Services. Old Colony had 300 employees in 2023 and revenue of nearly $64 million – about $1 million more than expenses.

A partnership between the two providers might be a good fit, geographically.

South Shore Elder Services is contracted with the state to provide home care, meals, advocacy and other help for seniors in 11 communities, from Milton to Scituate. Old Colony provides similar services for two dozen communities just south of South Shore.

Attempts to reach Old Colony Elder Services for comment were not immediately successful.

This story has been updated.

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