Local Government TV

Friday, February 03, 2012

Gracedale Census Down Again

"We were up to 604. We're down to 597 right now."

Northampton County Executive John Stoffa believes the reason for this drop is all the talk about asbestos. I believe the reason is because there are numerous nursing homes in the area who do a better job of attracting residents.

18 comments:

  1. Stoffa has done a great job of sabotage.

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  2. The unions have even done better .

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  3. So, you believe Stoffa was correct saying the asbestos talk is the cause, so, other nursing homes talk about asbestos less or in a better manner?

    You make no sense.

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  4. Between Stoffa and Barron, Gracedale will be lucky if it survives the year. Stoffa wanted to use it to pay for his drug addict lounge and Barron wants to use it to get elected to higher office. With the help of those two "officials" Gracedale doesn't need any enemies and will be lucky to survive at all. Hello, any competence out there?

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  5. Downsize the joint and start throwing its goldbricks onto their saviour Obama's "stimulus" program (i.e. unemployment). Let' follow the referendum and keep it open - but only enough to not violate the Otter's poorly crafted spraint masquerading as legal product. They won the battle. They will lose the war. Gracedale cannot be made competitive via a hack lawyer's weakly constructed referndum. Cut the place to one bed and we'll continue to pay for Barron's granny's care, since he won't.

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  6. 8:06 ...I think the hack lawyer prevailed, what do call the lawyers who lost this case. Is it printable?

    I know a couple people who work there and I read the obits regularly, they have had a death almost daily at the place. That might be the cause of the drop.
    Then again it might not.

    The place will be what it is, if its 100 patients and a much smaller workforce , so be it.
    700 patients or anywhere in between. It will eventually shake out.
    My question is if they are below or just hovering at 600, why do they actively advertise for new hires? EVERYDAY IN THE PAPERS AND ONLINE. Why aren't they laying off?

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  7. I find it funny that you keep blaming union workers for these asbestos problems. From what I have read a maintance supervisor order his men to cut doors inhalf that had asbestos in them. That doesn't sound like union sabotage to me, sounds like bad management that is going to cost taxpayers some cash.

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  8. When one is lazy, steals from taxpayers, chokes patients and runs a costly, sub-par jobs program where patient care comes after the union's concerns, karma says you should breathe asbestos.

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  9. I do not believe it is fair to suggest that anyone should be subjected to exposure to toxic substances. I'll add that, although I consider the benefits package paid to Gracedale union workers too high (twice the industry average), I believe most of them are honest.

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  10. When one is lazy, steals from taxpayers, chokes patients and runs a costly, sub-par jobs program where patient care comes after the union's concerns, karma says you should breathe asbestos.


    Likewise anyone that wishes a death sentence on another should enjoy that karma as well ...how 'bout it Sparky?

    hmmmm...
    If there is such a word
    isn't that comment deletable?

    I think we argued this point previously.

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  11. " I consider the benefits package paid to Gracedale union workers too high (twice the industry average), I believe most of them are honest."

    I agree...how about hiring part time workers and incorporating a two tiered system like GM.
    The new hires at GM get a little more than half the pay, along with lesser benefit packages.
    Let the long term employees keep their rates and replace them with lesser paid workers as they retire.
    It was said that 300 or so are eligible for retirement at this point in time. That is almost half the workforce. It wouldn't take too long to make the transition. If of course one wants to think in the long term .

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  12. I believe in equal pay for equal work.
    And as for the census being down at Gracedale come on that many can pass away in one day, give it a break.

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  13. there are many reasons that the census changes day to day. Gracedale now has respite care and rehabs. therefore they come and go everyday along with dying. no one can change the path of death, not even you bernie. Get with the program. ps i don't get that the benefits have anything to do with the asbestos!

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  14. Gracedale was around before the real rise in private facilities.

    The private facilities market far better than the County, and they are more modern with nicer things than Gracedale. Nobody wants to spend their last months or years in an old skyscraper for the elderly if there is better around, and there is.

    Sure, Gracedale has a union problem in terms of costs but the bigger problem is that it's an aging dinosaur with an outdated way of doing things.

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  15. The benefits paid Gracedale workers cost the same as the benefits paid Stoffa and crew, fact. The reason people like to make a big deal about the percentage of the cost of benefits to pay is that the nursing assistants get paid shit and Stoffa is overpaid.

    If you want to cut benefits fine, cut them for everyone including the genius at the top.

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  16. Actually, the benefits paid Gracedale workers are much higher than those paid to other county employees, even those who are unionized.

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  17. That comment is an extreme exaggeration Bernie. The money set aside for each county employee for their benefits is about the same.

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  18. Sorry, but that was reported at a recent Council meeting.

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