About Me

My photo
Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, August 09, 2013

Beaver County Sheds Its 605-Bed Nursing Home

Earlier this week, I told you that five Pennsylvania counties will shed their public nursing homes this year. Beaver County sold its 605-bed home yesterday, reducing its staffing level by 600 people. Interestingly, Beaver's Board has a Democratic majority.

I have been informed that two other counties are "investigating options." Without a change in the reimbursement formula, this trend will likely continue.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Northampton County will have the last standing county operated home in Pa. 'Don't give up the ship!"

Anonymous said...

Just like some fungus you can never get rid of, O'Hare will keep promoting the Stoffa/Angle Gracedale scam.

They were beat down by a "vast" majority of the taxpayers, yet still these vermin continue to try and destroy Gracedale.

The end of the Stoffa reign of lies and distortions can't come soon enough.

Anonymous said...

which just goes to prove that beavers are smarter than norcos

Anonymous said...

"vast" majority? It was an off-off year primary where the only ones who showed up were lazy union sloths who don't really work anyway. retards decided that election, which is why the white elephant is bleeding like detroit. you assholes are why we can't have nice things. meanwhile, patients are sentenced to substandard care as they're stacked like firewood in crowded rooms in order to keep major parts of the half empty place shut down. you fucks are whistling past you own graveyard. but if unions had any brains, they wouldn't have shrunk from 40% of families to under 12%. if you can do math, you don't need a union job to protect your inbred retardation. go bang steve barron in his ever widening ass.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"They were beat down by a "vast" majority of the taxpayers, yet still these vermin continue to try and destroy Gracedale."

If you mean that I plan to continue telling the truth about Gracedale and nursing homes, you are right. Five counties are selling their homes this year. Another two are giving the matter serious thought. Publicly owned nursing homes have gone down from 50 to 28. There are declining reimbursement rates for public nursing homes, whose labor costs are higher. These are all facts. Nw it might also be true that public sector employees give a greater level of care. I have witnessed caring workers with my own eyes. That is something I learned last year and will concede that point. They actually made concessions for the sake of the residents. They are good people.

The people have spoken and have said to keep Gracedale. The management is doing a terrific job to cut costs. But there is a red line at which we will ultimately say enough is enough.

Anonymous said...

@6:42
I was going to reply, but why bother arguing with a fool.

Bill Coker said...

The union's campaign slogan of "Save Gracedale" was a brilliant marketing scheme. It tricked many less informed voters into thinking it would be closed if sold. Wonder how the vote would have gone if all voters understood fully the issue.

Anonymous said...

Pretty soon the five year moratorium will be fulfilled and the County will have to take another look at Gracedale and its financial structure. The workers at Gracedale are hard working dedicated employees as well as the hundreds of people who volunteer in one way or another. Selling Gracedale must be a last resort. You will not get the same care under a private nursing facility.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I agree with you 100 per cent.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Cocker, I do not accept your mean spirited and arrogant explanation of the Gracedale vote. Many people who voted to keep it were elderly people who pay taxes and do not work in a union, like myself.

Using your logic you can claim any overwhelming vote you disagree with is because people were misinformed or stupid.
I guess we were a misinformed nation when we voted for
Ronald Regan. Since the 80's the entire nation has been going downhill.

Your argument is one that those who do not get the result they have predetermined must be right, make.

People know the truth and could see thorough the smokescreen of lies. The vote was legitimate and accurate. Your portrayal of the 70% of voters who disagreed with you is offensive as well as arrogant.

Louis Cassciola

Bernie O'Hare said...

Louis, There is no doubt in my mind that people were shnookered by lies. I heard from too many people who said they were approached and told the residents would be carted 3-4 counties away, the place was being closed, etc. It's one reason why I opposed a direct vote on this issue. It is emotional and too easy to fool people of good will. I would vote to keep the place myself had I not gone to so many meetings on the topic. But that's OK. The residents are still getting the good care they always got. It is hard to argue with that. I think we have an obligation to try to make it work.

Bill Coker said...

Mr. Cassciola,

I am 70 but can read and spell people's names correctly. I hardly think it's arrogant to point out the obvious. I now live in South Carolina to escape the taxes in PA brought on by decisions like Gracedale.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Bill, you did it! Good for you. My personal preference is North Carolina. I love it there, except everyone is too damn nice. A resident tells me North Carolina is a valley of humility between two mountains of pride.

Bill Coker said...

sdanqu 2Bernie,

Actually at first I thought I'd moved to Boston by mistake. Everyone has a heavy accent and hates Yankees.