It's unlike anything you'll see at any other nursing home. It's called Family Fest, and is an opportunity for residents of Gracedale, the County nursing home and their loved ones to have a little picnic during the last days of the summer. Employees volunteer to come in on their days off and spend time with residents whose families are no longer with them. It's one of the nicest things Northampton County does, with at least 500 guests.
Above is resident Theresa Yost, being visited by her brothers, sisters and niece.
30 comments:
Very cool event! Thanks for covering it.
It is a very cool event. I will have more in my Bethlehem Press story.
Didn't you try and have Gracedale sold? Lot of chutzpah to show up playing journalist at such a venue, did RMM and co welcome you?
I started going two years ago and have never seen any of that crowd there. Nor you.
This is the miracle of Gracedale. Only the truly enlightened understand that.
This event is bittersweet. Gracedale is an unnecessary financial drain on the county's working poor and majority of elderly citizens who struggle to pay their taxes on fixed incomes. The vicious union employees who scared patients with outrageous lies about being thrown to the street if Gracedale was privatized are disgusting. No dog and pony show like this changes that. Residents continue to receive lesser care than they would in a private home that receives higher reimbursements. These workers lied to the vulnerable elderly. That's fucking evil. The working poor and 99% non-Gracedale elderly have to pick up a $10 million dollar mess left by these lying, underperforming pieces of shit. Disgusting.
Gracedale should have been sold. It would still be a nursing home and events like these would still be possible under private or non-profit ownership. There just wouldn't be union bosses draining county finances.
What did Peg Ferraro know about the Gracedale ambulance overpayment scheme and when did she know it?
@ 6:45 "No dog and pony show like this changes that"
It's very sad that you choose to turn this event into something political, and haul out profanities to accentuate your off-topic point.
In case you're eyes are kept from seeing by whatever clogged filter you've strapped over them, this is the 20th year of the event. The people enjoy it, and could care less what you warp it to for your purposes.
20 years ago nobody cared. Now, the place is bleeding taxpayers, including 99% of county seniors, dry. It's difficult to see the bright side when patient care and taxpayer dollars are sacrificed for a union jobs program. The employees' lies about patients being thrown to the street are what many think about when the topic is Gracedale. The unions created this perception.
If you feel so strongly, why do you not tell us who you are? Other than Angle, I know of not one person whjo is willing publicly to say that Gracedale is an unnecessary drain. People are willing to make all kinds of brave statements so long as they can do so anonymously.
This posting has nothing to do with whether Gracedale belongs in county hands. It is about a very nice event thaty opened my eyes to how much the workers really care about the residents. Maybe that's what bothers you.
so happy you had the chance to experience the true dedication these workers feel for the residents there,my grandmother and mom were both there they really were taken care of there , with love and respect from the staff. there isn't enough money to pay for the comfort that brings family whe they are unable to be there...
Plenty of people hate what unions have done to Gracedale. They're likely afraid to go public out of fear of the union goons doing something to them or their families. This is the gang that told old people they'd have to live on the street. That was never true and they've never retracted such a terrible lie intended to scare those they claim to care about. They're lying, crazy, sometimes violent goons. They'd sooner poison the patients if it meant keeping their union jobs.
In other words, you are a coward. If you want to say something, you should accept responsibility for your words. I do that. Angle does that. You do not. I believed Gracedale should be sold and was willing to face everyone who felt differently. So was Angle. So was Stoffa. Where were you? Hiding under a rock.
And this is a positive post about some of the good things that happen at Gracedale. In addition to being a coward, you apparently do't want the full story out there. There is bad, but there is also good.
Were Gracedale patients ever in danger of being dropped on the streets? If not, it's difficult to forget such a mean-spirited lie meant to frighten these vulnerable seniors. And it's difficult to square that tactic with claims of really caring about patients. The dog and pony comment is accurate. The union goons are the ones who make events like this look so insincere.
Almost all if that disinformation came from a small group who are not in AFSCME and whose family members were residents. A nasty group if ever there was one. I have to wonder whether their vicious nature is a byproduct of seeing their mothers and fathers suffer from Alzheimer's. I am by no means an AFSCME fan, as Justus James can tell you. But that union gets credit for negotiating 2.5 million in give backs. Also, I have seen with my own eyes that they really do care deeply about the residents.
Great event. Also to the Stoffa shill who uses the phrase, "That's fucking evil"' have you ever visited the Home. Have you ever spent time in other nursing homes? I doubt it.
Part of the problem was disinformation on both sides., some painted Gracedale as evil while the elderly would find Nirvana in a private home. They may find overmedication and disinterested staff who ensure they are drugged enough to not cause problems.
Some of you are not only hateful but completely devoid of any compassion. That was the problem with the Gracedale debate, there were outrageous and ridiculous statements made both pro and con.
You poster are showing that maybe the Truly evil moniker is something you are very familiar with.
Lying to frail, elderly patients about being thrown onto the street is unadulterated evil. The opposition assured these souls they would receive similar - or likely better - care. Those are the "extremes." The "throw them to the street" crowd has never taken back their outrageous, frightening lie. Who with an ounce of compassion does that to the old and frail?
The distinction between the union and the evil bastards who promoted the frightening lie is a valid one - but a thin one. They were in lockstep and said nothing while the old souls were being terrified by their political compatriots.
Again, were Gracedale patients EVER in danger of being thrown onto the street?
The "throw out" concerns while overstated was valid. Once sold the new owners would have eventually done what ever they wanted. The so-called protections only worked if enforced. The sellers wanted Gracedale to go away and pocket the money. No rational person believes the county would have engaged in long and costly court fights to enforce sale clauses that may or may not have been upheld in court. What was the final remedy, take back Gracedale?
People who lived in the real world knew once sold, all the legalese in the world, would not save Gracedale residents from the whims of the marketplace. Also not just the residents but future applicants.
People did not buy into the "promises" and rightfully so. Please stop pretending that you are somehow a saint compared to the employees. Also the constant reference to "better' care at private homes: have you ever researched that beyond what the ratings are? Spend some time in Nursing Homes and stop just repeating the Stoffa/Angle line.
The sale of Gracedale was all about quick cash for Stoffa's dream project and the swaption and had nothing to do with "better care".
The voters got it!
See. Just like a good dog when called, the liars crawl right out and continue to terrorize the frail elderly. Nobody was ever going to be thrown to the streets. Treatment is consistently better in privately run homes. The statement is not only invalid. It's evil. Good dog. Go lick your ass, liar.
If there's one person in the world who is responsible for Gracedale remaining in Northampton County's hands, that person is Ron Angle. His supreme arrogance and rudeness galvanized people into action like nothing else could have. If they would have been polite and patient, Gracedale would have been sold long ago.
So you say ... anonymously. What I respect about Angle is that he stood up for what he believed, knowing it to be unpopular. You are criticizing him bc he was not perfect. But then neither are you or you'd be honest enough toi ID yourself.
I work at Gracedale - I saw you there last night. I know all the union officials, the coalition, and the "goons. What I said is the truth - the ballot initiative wouldn't have gained enough steam to make a difference if not for Ron Angle's manner. Whether he stood up for what he believed in or not, he acted like he got elected dictator for life instead of county council president. Picking on him for not being perfect - come on - that's too ridiculous to answer
The fact of the matter is that Angle, like him or not, stood up for what he thought was right. You are criticizing him bc he did not do it as well as you think might have done it. Pardon me if I have little or no respect for someone unwilling to say who he or she may really be.
So you have as much respect for people who post on your blog anonymously as the rest of the world has for bottom feeding bloggers?
Yet here yiou are at 10 pm, contradicting your own assertion.
"Treatment is consistently better in privately run homes"
I assume you heavily researched this or more likely just sticking to your hate based bashing of Gracedale. It is people like you who compared the Moravians to Communists for caring for the poor.
YYour retort to the excellent piece by anon 3:59 is as excepted. Long on emotional hate short on factual retort.
So much hate for Gracedale. These people want to rewrite history with their own facts.
The vile hatred and lies of the "Dump Gracedale" crowd has always been their undoing. It still is.
I am NOT a Bernie O'Hare fan, but I must agree, this page was such a possitive article. If only the people would know all the different activities the Staff does do with the residents they would understand how much they care about their second families! They do more every day for those residents than most of the readers do in
a lifetime! God bless the staff!
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