Pain Management and Psychotropic Drugs at Gracedale

Seth Vaughn 

Contrary to what Executive John Brown stated in his annual "State of the County" Address at Hotel Bethlehem, Medicare's actual rating at Gracedale is just three stars. One of the most troubling aspects of this rating is for "quality measures," which measures things like the use of psychotropic drugs, pain management, bed sores and infections. Gracedale has just one star in this category, which is considered "much below average."  This black eye has been ignored by Seth Vaughn's Human Services Committee, but was one of the first things Pete Melan noted in announcing his candidacy for a seat on County Council. "We should not only focus on revenue and expenses but want families to place their loved ones in a safe and comforting environment and maintain a home away from home feeling," he said.

Guess what? Seth Vaughn's Committee finally addressed these lousy ratings at their meeting last week. Before things got underway, Mat Benol and Vaughn spoke on a hot mike about where to send someone who needs medical care. They also spoke about an email that court administrator Jermaine Greene had sent about the Grace Packer case, with what Benol called "canned responses." Ken Kraft told Vaughn he was lucky I wasn't there, and Vaughn snapped. "I couldn't care less what he says."

Once the meeting finally started, Vaughn asked about Gracedale's terrible rating on quality measures. Administrator Raymond Soto said the nursing home is working with Kendal Outreach to reduce both pain and the psychotropic medications.

Nothing on h Kendal Outreach's webpage even mentions the use of these drugs.

The reality is that most nursing homes, including Gracedale, improperly use psychotropic drugs. At Gracedale, one of every four residents receives antipsychotic medications, and 35% of the facility's population are on anxiety or hypnotic drugs.

A 2011 study determined that 88% of Medicare claims for antipsychotics prescribed in nursing homes were for treating symptoms of dementia even though the drugs have never been approved for dementia. Federal law prohibits the use of psychoactive drugs when they are just for the convenience of staff. It's called a "chemical restraint." There has to be a documented medical need for the drugs. These are considered "chemical restraints."

In addition to the overuse of drugs, Gracedale gets a low score on quality measures for pain management. Soto stated that there is a "pain committee," but it is a subjective matter.

Council was much more concerned about overtime,and devotedmost of the meeting to that discussion.  In February, overtime for LPNs was up 24%. For CNAs, it was up 31%.

Soto pointed to one resident who requires one-on-one nursing care, 24 hours a day. He tried to ship her to NJ, but she is not Medicaid eligible under Jersey law. Once she is, she will be sent off. No one on Council seemed troubled in the slightest by this insensitivity to a fellow human being. They were focused on cost. "Are you saying that one person drive 1,000 hours of overtime?" demanded Glenn Geissinger. Soto responded that five people get one-to-one, but only one gets it a full 24/7.

Matt Dietz complained that Council voted on changes to bring OT down."When is that going to happen?" he wondered. Now Administrator Cathy Allen jumped up to say that the county is building up its staff of per diem RNs.

Soto also noted that the nursing home received a deficiency in February because a psychiatrist made a mistake in ordering drugs.

In other Gracedale business, Human Services Director Allison Frantz reported two pieces of good news.

First, here will be an intergovernmental transfer again this year. That's what helped Gracedale return a slight profit last year.

Second, the VA has conducted an onsite inspection of the facility for residents,and the county is waiting for a contract.

She had nothing to report about the Packer case, but spoke highly of foster parents. "They do the work of angels,." she said.

If Grace Packer were still alive, she might disagree with that assessment.

Seth Vaughn Signs Brown Nomination Petition ... Twice

NorCo Council member Seth Vaughn is one of four GOP Council members seeking re-election.He should be shown the door  Last year, he missed the crucial budget hearing at which Council members propose their own amendments. It's arguably the only time of the year that Council can flex its muscle. His response when confronted? "Who cares? So what? I'll be re-elected anyway." His remark was made in the presence of two witnesses. Vaughn thinks you're pretty dumb, and demonstrated that recently by signing Executive John Brown's nomination petition twice, and within three days of each other.

He signed one petition on February 15 and then three days later, signed another.  Now I could see someone forgetting and signing a petition twice. But within three days? That seems unlikely.

(Blogger's Note: I am declining to post these signature pages out of respect for other Brown supporters and even Vaughn. I am uncomfortable posting exact addresses and signatures on the Internet.)

Vaughn: "Who Cares?" If He Misses Important Budget Hearing

Though the legislative branch of government is generally regarded as the weakest, there is one time during the year when that changes. That's at budget time. The legislative branch controls the purse strings and can make wholesale changes to an Executive or Mayoral spending plan. Allentown City Council recently proved just how powerful it can be when it essentially gutted Mayor Edwin "Fed Ed" Pawlowski's use of public funds to reward his friends and let you pick up the tab. But to do this, you have to show up.

On the same night that Allentown City Council was flexing its muscle, Northampton County Council was considering a series of amendments to Executive John Brown's spending for next year. It is the second most important meeting of the year. But Seth Vaughn, who works out of his home, never bothered to show up. I reported his absence because it is part of the story. I have no training as a reporter, but know I should tell try to tell readers Who, What, Why, When, Where and How.

Doing this made Seth Vaughn angry.

When I confronted him about his absence last night in the parking lot outside the courthouse, it made him very angry.

"You were absent from one of the most important meetings of the year," I charged.

"So what?"

"Who cares?"

"I'm still going to win the election next year, pal."

"Nobody reads your blog, pal."

Apparently, he must have read it.

He then called me a coward and a disbarred lawyer. Yelling, he ran off to his car and drove off. Along the way, he called Ken Kraft a coward, too.

Ordinarily, I'd say that a person who gets tetchy might be working too hard. But that conclusion is inapplicable to Vaughn.

Maybe he needs more sleep.

Seth Vaughn Late On Expense Report

As of 3 pm yesterday, election officials were waiting for NorCo Council member Seth Vaughn's annual expense report. He's late, and there will be a small fine. Glenn Geissinger filed his report one day late, too.

Seth Vaughn: "Retirements Happen"

So does shit.

Last year, there was a record number of 139 retirements in Northampton County. To put this in perspective, that's 2 1/2 times the normal retirement rate. Obviously, something is rotten in the State of Northampton County.

But just as Horatio told Marcellus, Seth Vaughn is saying, "God will direct it."

As employees jump off the S.S. Northampton County, Vaughn is in la la land, re-arranging the deck chairs. Here's some of what he had to say at last Thursday's Council meeting.

"Retirements happen. Whether it happens a lot now or next year, there's really no way of predicting that. To sit there and try to pin it on the Executive by saying, 'Well, the Executive's policies are causing all these retirements,' I think is biased and I don't think it's objective.  ... There's really no way of telling whether these retirements happened at one time or not. ... These people are looking for good replacements. There's a process here."

Translated, Horatio Vaughn is still carrying water for John Brown, as other GOP Council members distance themselves from him. Then he lashed out at Controller Steve Barron, stating again that there's a resolution calling on him to resign.

Lamont McClure refuted Vaughn's claims of politics as usual.

"That's always what you fall back on. ... It's not Lamont McClure. I'm bringing this to your attention because you are the governing body of Northampton County. ... It's the President Judge of Northampton County. It's the Administrator of the Courts of Northampton County. It's the District Attorney of Northampton County. It's the independently elected - I know you have problems with him - Controller of Northampton County, who came here to tell you there are huge issues ... . And yes, I do think there was a substantive act that the County Executive took to force all these retirements, and that was the change in health insurance."

Seth Vaughn Absences Beginning to Add Up

When Seth Vaughn was running for a seat on Northampton County Council last year, he promised he'd show up. "It’s an embarrassment when a public official skips committee meetings and does not show up for work ...," he pontificated. Then I learned, last September that Vaughn actually had a 0% attendance record at Lehigh Valley Planning Commission meetings. He blamed that on a "perfect storm" of unusual circumstances.

Well, that wind must still be blowin'. He's missed all but two of the monthly meetings for LVPC this year.

About a month ago, Vaughn referred to the large number of employees attending meetings as a "gang". He did apologize, and then skipped out on a Budget Hearing yesterday and a County Council meeting last night, attended by over 100 workers. .

His absence last night enabled Lamont McClure to paralyze Northampton County government.

It's time Vaughn considers resigning.

Seth Vaughn Has 0% Attendance at LVPC

The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, formed in 1961, is our regional planning body.  It has studied light rail, passenger rail and widening Route 22. It reviews every plan proposed in the Lehigh Valley, mostly in an advisory capacity. For some smaller municipalities, it is the Planning Commission. So it's no surprise that NorCo Council candidate Seth Vaughn would tout his membership, calling himself  "an active member." But according to the minutes of the LVPC's monthly meetings, he has yet to attend a meeting.

That's a strange way to be active.

In addition to the online minutes for January through August, he also missed September's meeting.

In my questionnaire to County Council candidates, one question focuses on the important of attendance. I've always believed that showing up is half the battle. I thought Seth agreed. Here's what he said.

I feel that if someone chooses to seek public office and is successful at achieving that office, has an obligation to serve the public as best they can. It’s an embarrassment when a public official skips committee meetings and does not show up for work all the while collecting money from the public to work for them. What’s worse is the public which is primarily uninformed regarding local politics trusts these individuals to do the right thing and show up for work and assumes they are even if they aren't.

Vaughn pleads guilty. "I will be the first to admit my attendance has been abysmal for the planning commission," he admits candidly, acknowledging it is "an issue for voters to consider." According to Vaughn, a "perfect storm" of unusual circumstances has kept him away. "I read all communications and minutes sent to me from the commission," he tells me.

And he'll be there in October.

The storm must be over.

Iraq War Vet Seth Vaughn Seeks NorCo Council Seat

Iraq War vet Seth Vaughn has been a frequent visitor at Northampton County Council meetings, both before and after his unsuccessful race against Ken Kraft. They ran a tough race against each other, but Vaughn has agreed completely with Kraft's support for a centralized human service building, and is a rare politician who was actually willing to take a stand.

Here's what he said last month, before the proposal was tabled:

"An effective leader takes into consideration employee concerns when making decisions. It should be taken seriously when people consistently complain about the building's infrastructure, parking, or working conditions. We want our county employees to feel safe at work and that their employer cares enough to listen. Also, employee satisfaction actually goes a long way to increase efficiency! On a final note, we should be looking at ways to modernize our government buildings to provide a suitable working environment and to alleviate costly future repairs needed working in neglected buildings. Allow the private sector to fix old buildings up, the government is not in the business of being exceptional property owners or landlords."

Seth is one of five Republicans running for five at-large seats on County Council this year. He recently announced his candidacy, and this is part of what he said:

I am a father of two, a devout Christian, and a lover of his community. This community has molded me into what I am today.

I have on several occasions such as college at Penn State or with the United States Marine Corps, fighting in the war in Iraq, left my community only to find myself wishing to return. This community I cherish as my own. This is my home.

Today, I am formally announcing my candidacy to run for Northampton County Council. I am running because of my passion for better government, my desire to propel our county into the future, and to be apart of the next generation younger, energetic, public servants.

My vision for the county is straightforward. I wish to accomplish while on council the following:

1. The preservation of Gracedale Nursing home.
2. Holding the line on taxes
3. Work closely with our counties economic development team to encourage small and large business to set up shop here in Northampton County
4. The Continuation of the Open Space Initiative
5. The Modernization of our unsafe county buildings and our outdated Jail.
6. The formation of a separate committee dedicated to the improvement of our county bridges.
7. Eliminating wasteful spending by working closely with the county executive
8. Provide voters easy and open access to their elected official
9. Never ever allow the gambling of our tax dollars such as a swaption to occur while im on council

Financially, there are tough times ahead.

Our county budget is getting slim and uncertainty is high at the state level with regards to funding. Our economy is not growing yet our taxes continue to rise. Bipartisan supported legislation is required to accomplish the needs of our county without having to raise taxes.

I am the son of a single working mother who worked two jobs while growing up to make ends meet. I was taught early on the work involved with balancing a budget and spending efficiently. If you are concerned with the prospects of tax increases on the county level please rest assured a vote with me will be a vote for holding the line on taxes.

My pledge to you is that I will not just keep a seat warm on council but will advocate for the needs of our county. I will work for the most reasonable and cost effective solutions to county issues.

I will do the research and involve voters in my decisions. I am asking for you to support a driven and committed individual to lead this county forward. To bring a fresh new perspective on the issues. Please Northampton County, PUT ME TO WORK FOR YOU. Also, check out my website which will be up and running in the next few weeks at: www.votesethvaughn.com.

Following the Money in the Kraft, Vaughn Race

Pre-election campaign finance reports were due on Friday. Here's how the money looks in the County Council Bethlehem-area race between Ken Kraft and Seth Vaughn.

Second only to Angle in the money-raising department, Ken Kraft pulled in $18,400 this reporting period, giving him $29,699.78. Most of this money comes from private sector unions, with $10,000 coming from IUPAT alone. Kraft is a business agent at that union.

So far, Kraft has spent $20,734.75, leaving with $8,365.03, enough for one more mailer.

That's a lot more than the $194.33 in Vaughn's till. During a County Council debate last week, Vaughn twice stated that he refuses to accept any money from "special interests." Since just about everyone is a special interest, that leaves just himself as a donor.

It appears that the $4,400 raised this reporting period comes right out of Seth's wallet, which gave him a $5,401.09 total.

He spent most of it, too, which is why he is down to $194.33.

Norco Council (Bethlehem): Ken Kraft v. Seth Vaughn

"Seth and I are the only ones here for an open seat. I'd like to first say thank you to the LWV for having this tonight and everybody for coming out tonight in this horrible weather we have outside.

"I'd like to say that I got involved in government many, many years ago with the Monocacy Creek stabilization thing in Bethlehem. I was appointed by a Republican mayor to the Monocacy Creek Watershed Association. Since that time, I spoke in public numerous - I can't even count how many times - for, you know, they wanted to privatize garbage. That gt me involved. They wanted to do all kinds of things that I didn't like at the City level. So I started speaking there; I started getting involved.

"I started making myself available for boards, commissions, whatever government needed. Mr. Stoffa has appointed me to committees. I served on them proudly. I never missed a meeting. I think I've been to one, Joan [in the audience] can attest that I was there with the flu one time because I didn't ant to miss the meeting. So I'm one of those guys who never misses a meeting. I haven't had a sick day from work in twenty-five years.

"So I have the time to put in, I will be here, I'll be here all the time. I feel that at this age in life - 50 years old, my kids are grown up, I have the time that this job takes.

"This is an all-consuming job. It's not just two nights a month. There's committees, there's subcommittees, there's all kinds of things we have to make ourselves available for, and I'm available for that. I'm available to work for the voters and the taxpayers because I'm a taxpayer, too.

"I'm one of us. I'm not a career politician. I'm just somebody who likes to come out and help, and I've always been there for everyone, and I'll continue to be here for anyone who needs it. Thank you."



"I'd like to start off by saying that I've knocked on a lot of doors throughout this campaign. I worked very hard. I've listened to a lot of concerns of the citizens in District 1, and I do understand where they're coming from. My pledge to you tonight is that I will exceed your expectations if I'm elected.

"I will remain focused on the issues presented to me, and I will research the issues before I vote on them. I will also do my best to try to keep the voters involved in the decision-making process, and keep their suggestions at hand.

"I ask you to consider me, to vote for me, in District 1, as your representative. I hope you not just consider my political party, but actually me specific motivations, my intentions and my objectives.


"I think I made my objectives very clear. They're on my web site. I'm for preserving Gracedale, and I think that my health care background can help Council do that. I'm for keeping taxes stable, cut wasteful spending, and revitalizing our parks and preserving farmland. I'd also like to expand our veterans' benefits from $100 for funeral reimbursement to about $500. I think our wartime veterans deserve a little more money than $100.

"I'd also like to preserve the ideology that County government was established for the people to serve the people.

"As I stated before, I do not accept any special interest group money or political action committee money. I think that creates a bias within our politicians, and I'm completely against that.

"I will make sure that your tax dollars are well spent. I will not squander them on senseless programs like swaptions, and, if you would like, a new, fresh perspective on county government. I urge you to vote for me in November.

Can't Beat a Supporter Like This!

Ken Kraft and Seth Vaughn are both running refreshingly positive campaigns for County Council in Bethlehem. With supporters like young Delaney Barron, how can Ken lose?

Who Replaces Bruce Gilbert on NorCo Council?

If Northampton County Council confirms Bruce Gilbert's appointment as John Stoffa's new Director of Fiscal Affairs, that will create a vacancy on Council. Under the Home Rule Charter, Council will have thirty days from the date of resignation to appoint someone who will only serve until the next election, which is in November.

This is getting scary. Instead of the voters selecting candidates from each party, that job could very well go to party bosses.

Who will Council appoint?

I understand there are two favorites, both of them class acts.

One is Seth Vaughn, who already is running for Council against Ken Kraft in Bethlehem. The thinking here is that this will get Seth some needed visibility and help him in his race against Ken Kraft.

That's good politics, but is it good government?

Vaugn is apparently backed by Tom Dietrich and John Cusick. Seth, be sure to check your back early and often for knife marks.

The other favorite is Mat Benol, who ran against Charlie Dent last year and then briefly became King of the Tea party until ego trips like Joe Hilliard and Kim Schmidtner made life so difficult that Mat pulled the plug.

Dietrich, a right-wing lunatic swept into power as part of a knee-jerk reaction against Democrats, complains Benol is too much of a right-wing lunatic.

Barb Thierry and Ron Angle like Benol. That might be enough to sink him.