Gracedale Seeks More Manpower For Growing Census

Dee Freeman with new Human Services Czar, John Mehler

It's been an interesting year for Northampton County-owned nursing home Gracedale. It blew through a year's budget in six months, but Administrator Dee Freeman predicted things would get better in the second half. He  might be proved right. Outgoing Human Services Director Ross Marcus told Council yesterday that, with a growing census, all sixteen wings will soon be open. That will be for the first time in 5-6 years. 

Marcus and Freeman have restructured personnel to meet the growing need for services, while attempting to reduce OT and the use of agency nursing services. They propose to eliminate 7 part-time nursing and 6 part-time LPN positions that have been vacant, along with a Risk Manager and Compliance Officer. But they will add a Registered Nurse Assessment Coordinator ($49,175 to ($73,149), five full-time LPNs (salary up to $45,026), ten full-time nursing attendants (salary up to $31,064), a unit clerk (up to $29,575) and a housekeeper (up to $28,880).

Council's Personnel Committee, headed by Ken Kraft, voted unanimously in favor of recommending the staffing increase to the full body of County Council tonight.