In July, I told you that things were finally looking up at Gracedale. Last week, Administrator Jennifer Stewart-King had more good news.
What was the good news in July?
The home is required to provide 2.7 hours of nursing car per resident on a daily basis. Even with a reduction in census, the facility was struggling to get up to 2.5. What's more, it was considered very possible that the 2.7 standard was going to be increased to 4.1. Fortunately, that never materialized. Instead, the new standard will be 2.87 hours of nursing care for each resident daily. Executive Lamont McClure noted that the home was near or even exceeding that standard.
What is the good news now?
The per diem Medicaid reimbursement rate is going up. Though Stewart-King is still waiting for the details, the increase is very good news because a majority of Gracedale residents are on Medicaid.
She noted that census dropped in July to 396, with a waiting list of 45. This is purposeful. Census will go up once the number of employees has increased.
In July, residents received an average of 2.83 hours of nursing care daily. This is above the current state standard.
Stewart-King added that hiring is going very well now that there's a bonus. The vaccine mandate has been no issue among new hires.
Finally, there were four visits from DOH responding to anonymous complaints. All were determined to be unfounded.
19 comments:
The county should have gotten rid of this white elephant years ago. A waste of taxpayer money.
What about the lawsuit for neglecting the patient who died!!! The Administration needs to go!!! Nothing but LIES!!!
That's great news that the residents of gracedale dont have to have more nurses. That's great the residents will get less care. That outstanding news..... This is problem. Lamont and chuck don't want to fix them problem. They brag as do you that they had a 47 million dollar surplus the past two years. But you know how that surplus comes. On the backs of county employees. If they paided employees better at gracedale there would be no need for bonuses . As the same with the juvenile justice center being so short. Or the jail being ridiculous under staffed. County government isn't there to make a profit it's there to provide the needs of the community at a top level but by doing it efficiently. They get that surplus on employees backs and who suffers the residents of gracedale. Great news need less nurses.
8:48 is a person who is rooting for Gracedale to fail. My guess is a disgruntled ex employee who cares so much about the residents that she refused to get vaccinated. I am unaware of any bragging about the county's rather healthy fund balance. I agree county employees should be paid more and have said so for years under multiple administrations. The juvenile justice center has nothing to do with McClure. That is the courts. I am unaware that the jail is "ridiculous under staffed." Gracedale is, and the county's bonuses should put a dent into things. I would love to see each resident get 24 hours of nursing care each day, but that is impossible at a nursing home funded mostly by Medicaid. I doubt the county could afford 4/2 hours. It does think 2.87 hours is doable. I'd rather see these resident get some nursing care than none. Gracedale is the largest Medicaid nbursing home in the state. I discussed this in July. The additional good news is that the reimbursement rate is finally going up.
And largest does not mean the best, Bernie. Not everyone who has a negative comment about Gracedale is a disgruntled ex employee as you state.,
What's the per patient cost at Gracedale vs others? This may or may not be good news depending on what it's costing to become compliant. I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt. But, what's the rest of the story?
I did not say ALL critical comments come from disgruntled ex-employees. I said that 8:38 is a likely disgruntled ex-employee. Other comments come from politicians who seek to make Gracedale an election issue, as Lynch did. Now that he's lost, he's stopped caring.
Next election cycle, he or someone else will try to politicize it again. Finally, some critical comments are actually constructive. Those are few and far between. Most of those who slam the home are in it for themselves, like Lynch was.
Five unfounded complaints in one month tells me where this venom is coming from.
I’m not from Northampton County, but if I were I’d be very concerned with the nursing standards and practices. Most of don’t think about nursing homes until we need one. Most of us don’t have long term care insurance which means that when the time comes we will end up in County run nursing homes, because they are the only ones required to accept us. Many complain about the taxpayer costs, until they need the services. Wise-up boomers, take a more empathetic approach to your future. You’re next.
Glad to hear. Sadly, it is taking a long time. After Stoffa and Angle tried to dump the county Nursing home, it is great to see it come back. They did not care about the old and ill they only wanted to appease their egos and cut the employees and get a quick cash settlement for the Stoffa loan screwup. Glad they are no longer in government; they are not missed.
Good news...how about they are being sued for neglect and death of a patient? More costs to the tax payers to pay attorney representation and a lawsuit now!
Long past time to sell this white elephant, and put the land back on the tax rolls.
Forget the bonuses, what about the pay study the county council wants to do? It is being held up in procurement by McClure who apparently claims council can't do a request for quotes without his approval. Is that not overreach on his part? I thought county council sets the pay and they can get a study if they want. Does he have the authority to tell officials to not send it out?
Here come the civil suits. Sadly, Gracedale is going to collapse under the weight of the coming judgments. But it's the only mechanism by which any of those who so badly mismanaged the pandemic - and cost lives - will be held responsible. Please God, put me on the jury. I'll make it really, really hurt. It's time to name names and get some accountability. Gracedale will have been destroyed by Wolf and McClure and those who made poor decisions and sat by while people died. They are our most precious assets? The settlement amount should reflect the priceless lives that were lost through mismanagement, neglect, and poor decisions.
Bernie you mentioned the jail and juvenile justice center. I have friends that work at both. The jail staffing has fallen off yet again and is becoming an issue. The juvenile center staffing is disgraceful! Perhaps you could do a story on the staffing levels at both places.
"Bernie you mentioned the jail and juvenile justice center. I have friends that work at both. The jail staffing has fallen off yet again and is becoming an issue. The juvenile center staffing is disgraceful! Perhaps you could do a story on the staffing levels at both places."
People can always contact me. But I will tell the truth, not what you want to hear.
"Here come the civil suits. Sadly, Gracedale is going to collapse under the weight of the coming judgments. "
This lawsuit, which I read, strikes me as borderline frivolous.
"what about the pay study the county council wants to do? It is being held up in procurement by McClure"
So far as I know, the only study proposed by Council is for Gracedale. I don't think anything is being held up but will check.
The JUv center need help. Pay people!
Reveal cost-per-patient or none of this is meaningful or in context. None of it.
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