Company buying WV hospitals says they’ll continue Meals on Wheels, feeding Marion County seniors

by Amelia Ferrell Knisely, West Virginia Watch
August 26, 2025

The company set to purchase the state’s four long-term care hospitals says they’ll continue a long-standing partnership with senior feeding programs, including Meals on Wheels, in Marion County.

The kitchen at the John Manchin Sr. Health Care Center in Fairmont is used to prepare food for around 200 seniors in Marion County who rely on the senior center and the local Meals on Wheels program for free meals. 

“We deliver all through Marion County,” said Leisha Elliott, director of the Marion County Senior Center.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Aug. 16 that the state would sell its long-term care hospitals for $60 million to New York-based Marx Development group. The hospitals had been operating at a combined $6 million annual loss, according to Morrisey, and the buildings needed millions of dollars in renovations.

The news caught Elliott by surprise and she was unsure about the future of the senior feeding partnership.

Chelsey Gheyara is vice president of growth and experience for Majestic Care, a subsidiary of  a subsidiary of Marx Development Group that will operate the hospitals in the state. She told West Virginia Watch in an email they did not anticipate any disruptions to Meals on Wheels and other food services. 

“We know how important the Meals on Wheels program and senior center services are to the Fairmont community …,” Gheyara wrote. “As we move forward, Majestic Care will work with local leaders and program partners to ensure continuity and collaborate on any future enhancements that benefit residents and the community.”

WV state hospitals — being sold off by Morrisey — serve elderly patients who have nowhere else to go

In response, Leisha said, “We still haven’t heard from the John Manchin Health Center or the new owners.”

She continued, “In the meantime, we are exploring every avenue to ensure our nutrition program is the best it can be, because our top priority is serving the seniors of Marion County.”

Morrisey has said that following the sale, the hospitals will retain the current population and improve the quality of care. As part of the deal, the company has agreed to build three to five new facilities to replace aging facilities and source the materials and labor from West Virginia, Morrisey said. There is no requirement that the hospitals are in the same location, though Majetistic has said that the ultimate goal is to keep new buildings close to the current facilities.

The sale is expected to close Sept. 30 with a possible 30-day extension. 

West Virginia Watch has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the governor’s office to review the contract. It has not yet been released to the public. 

West Virginia Watch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. West Virginia Watch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Leann Ray for questions: info@westvirginiawatch.com.

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