Gracedale To Seek Daycare For Staff

In an effort to seek and retain workers, Gracedale is in the process of seeking approval for a daycare at the facility. Human Services Director Sue Wandalowski advised County Council last night that the daycare, if permitted, would be with an outside contractor.  It would be located somewhere on campus. 

Maybe they could use the morgue!'

For now, it would be limited to Gracedale staff. If successful, it could be expanded to other county departments. 

"It's one of the last things we haven't tried," said Wandalowski. She added the county is simply unable to compete with $30,000 signing bonuses being offered by Lehigh Valley Health Network.  

As for Gracedale itself, Administrator Jennifer Stewart-King told Council that the census has dropped to 443.  Since revenue depends on census, a drop ordinarily raises alarms. But Stewart-King explained that the lower census is actually a "strategic move on our part." That's because the lower the census, the more time staff has to spend with residents. This is tracked and is part of a nursing home's rating.  It is known as hours of patient care per day, or PPD. The state wants nursing homes to beat or above 2.7, and Gracedale was below that in November with a PPD of 2.65.

The PPD has actually dropped since November and is currently 2.45. This is because the facility has seen 51 workers quit rather than get a vaccine. Strewart-King said she would lose all funding if any staffers are unvaccinated. 

Although the nursing home was COVID  free in November, there are 45 cases among residents as of Thursday.  In addition, 13 staffers are positive. Residents who test positive are isolated in a negative pressure unit (Tower 10). The National Guard is assisting with testing because just one positive COVID case is considered an "outbreak." 

County Council member John Brown questioned Stewart-King';s assertion that there was no county contribution to the facility in 2021. The drop in census means less revenue, he observed. Stewart-King responded that the County was able to use the money the county received from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan. The nursing home was propped up with $7.2 million from this federal fund, and the county added another $2 million it had received under the American Rescue Plan. This included hazard pay and a vaccine incentive. 

Fiscal Affairs Director Steve Barron added that, while a lower census caused by staff shortages means reduced reimbursements, it also means fewer expenses to pay this staff. 

Barron anticipates there will be no need for a county contribution this year.

After being advised about finances, Brown suggested that the state could pull Gracedale's license. He complained he's heard no strategic plan to hire more people other than what the county is already doing "We have to do something or eventually this facility will implode on itself," he remarked. 

He offered no suggestions. 

Stewarrt-King said that, when she started as Administrator, there were already 300 open positions. That would have been just as Brown, as former county executive, left office.

Council member Kerry Myers noted the staff shortage at Gracedale is an industry-wide problem. He was also critical of Brown. "It's February and it already seems like the other side is going to attack [Gracedale]. "

Brown later said that, when he left office as Exec, there were only about 40 vacancies. But Human Services Director Sue Wandalowski backed up Stewart-King's assertion that there were 300 open positions. She said she would provide the data.