Cedarbrook Maintains 5-Star Rating From Feds

Cedarbrook, Lehigh County's nursing home, has usually received a four-star rating from The Center for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS). But that started changing in July, not long after Good Shepherd took over as Administrator. The rating went from four to five stars, the highest a nursing home can achieve. Lehigh County has just issued a news release claiming that the nursing home has kept this rating in the 2017 third quarter ratings for nursing home facilities.

Lehigh County is also claiming that the nursing home has now achieved four out of five stars on both quality measures and registered nurse staffing.The CMC website fails to support Lehigh County's assertion, but cautions an update might be needed.

“I want to commend and recognize the hard work and commitment of the Cedarbrook staff," said Lehigh County Executive Philips Armstrong. "Their everyday efforts, from caring for residents and running the facility are the reason we’ve been rewarded with this distinction,”

“Quality measures and nurse staffing are important factors for people to consider when selecting a nursing home," said Cedarbrook Administrator Joseph Shadid, RN, MSN, MBA, NHA. "They indicate how well we meet the clinical needs of our patients and demonstrate how attentive and responsive our nursing staff is to our residents."

Shadid added that given Cedarbrook’s volume of residents and the significant number of occupants being treated for dementia, the new rating is extremely remarkable. A higher number of residents, including those with more severe conditions often means a more demanding environment for staff.

Cedarbrook currently has 670 beds across two campuses where 236 residents suffer from advanced dementia. Northampton County's Gracedale has about the same census.

Gracedale's rating had dropped from four starts to just one star last year after a resident attempted to commit suicide. It climbed back up to three stars in August, and the latest online rating still shows a three-star rating. Its rating on staffing is three stars (average) and its quality measures grade is just two stars (below average).

Before he was Executive, Lamont McClure was very disturbed by the nosedive, and has vowed to turn things around.

Muller to Unveil 2016 LC Budget at Cedarbrook

Lehigh County Executive Tom Muller has chosen Cedarbrook as the backdrop for the release of his 2106 Budget. He's expected to make it official on Monday at 1 pm.

Muller and Lehigh County Commissioners have sparred over the nursing home.But according the Commissioner Vic Mazziotti, the prognosis is good. On Thursday, he told Lehigh Valley Business that he'd like to renovate or rebuild the existing 451-bed facility. He's been critical of housing four residents to a single room, and would prefer to see two to a room, with bathroom access.

Muller has accused both Mazziotti and Commissioner Lisa Scheller as supporting Cedarbrook's sale, a charge that both deny.

What amazes me is how Lehigh Valley state legislators turn a blind eye to the very real financials crisis facing publicly owned nursing homes in both Lehigh and Northampton County.

Tom Killion, a State representative from Montgomery County, has introduced legislation that could make more Medicaid reimbursements available. In Northampton County, that would translate to about $2.5 million per year, and my guess is that a similar sum would go to Cedarbrook.

To date, the following Lehigh Valley State Representatives have NOT signed on as sponsors: Gary Day, Ryan Mackenzie, Steve Samuelson, Pete Schweyer and Justin Simmons.

I should point out that sometime between my irst story about this house bill and now, Mike Schlossberg did sign on. Geoff Brace, who works for Schlossberg, is a Lehigh County Commissioner and should have been pushing the matter long before I did. Lehigh County Commissioners have yet to adopt a resolution calling on the their local state house delegation to sponsor this important bill.

Many LV Legislators Ignoring Gracedale, Cedarbrook Crisis

Gracedale and Cedarbrook are two of just 23 publicly owned nursing homes that still exist in Pennsylvania. Most have a Medicaid occupancy rate of over 75%. Unlike private homes, they must accept Medicaid patients from the onset, and they thus provide an important safety net for some of the state's most vulnerable citizens. But unlike private homes, the counties are required to pay ten per cent of this Medicaid cost. In the case of a place like Gracedale, that's about $2.5 million per year. State Representative Tom Killion, a Republican from Newtown Square, has proposed legislation that will eliminate this requirement and make it easier to keep Gracedale and Cedarbrook county-owned. Though this bill is supported by some members of the Lehigh Valley delegation to the state house, and is endorsed by the state county commissioners association,  I am astonished to see that many of the people's supposed representatives don't give a shit.

The Good

Members of the LV delegation to the state house who support Killions's bill are Joe Emrick, Bob Freeman, Marcia Hahn, Julie Harhart and Danny McNeill. That's three Republicans and two Democrats.

The Bad

Members of the LV delegation who have ignored this bill are Gary Day, Ryan Mackenzie, Steve Samuelson, Mike Schlossberg, Pete Schweyer and Justin Simmons. That's three Republicans and three Democrats who can't be bothered.

The Ugly

Mike Schlossberg's failure to sponsor this legislation is totally irresponsible. He apparently thinks he's in office to foster the desires of J.B. Reilly and Fed Ed instead of the many people in his district who fall between the cracks. What is especially appalling about this lapse is that one of his aides, Geoff Brace, is a Lehigh County Commissioner.

Don't you guys talk?

Lehigh County Commissioners are blown' oil right now over the financial crisis at Cedarbrook. What they should do is adopt a resolution calling on State representatives in Lehigh County to start helping Cedarbrook, instead of ignoring it.

Cedarbrook Loses Private Management Firm

From Lehigh County: LW Consulting, Inc., which has been providing the professional management of the Cedarbrook nursing homes for the past 11 years, has formally advised Lehigh County Executive Tom Muller that they will not be seeking to continue their relationship with Lehigh County when their current contract expires on June 30th.

County Executive Muller expressed his regrets at LW's decision. "I am disappointed to see the relationship with LW end and particularly for the reasons offered. LW has done an outstanding job of managing our Cedarbrook nursing homes through very challenging times.”

Muller said LW has beaten the budget 8 out of 11 years and delivered better than a net break even financially in 9 out of 11 years; they accomplished both in 2014. He said “Even more important than the financial results has been Cedarbrook's consistent four-star rating by Medicare during their tenure--a rating that was re-confirmed last week under Medicare’s new, tougher ratings for quality of care."

In a demonstration of support for Cedarbrook, LW management has agreed not to hold the current Administrator and CFO to their contractual non-compete limitations, which enables them to retain their roles at Cedarbrook if the County and future management firm is interested in doing so. Muller said “I am pleased that LW has made that important concession; Administrator Terry Hollinger has been critical to significant financial improvements at Cedarbrook this past year.”

County Executive Muller has indicated that the County will initiate an RFP for a new management firm by early April if certain confidential discussions underway don't result in a better option.

Will Obamacare Kill Gracedale and Cedarbrook?

Last week, I had a conversation with a knowledgeable person who tells me Obamacare is going to kill public nursing homes like Gracedale and Cedarbrook. Things will be so bad that neither county will be able to sell to a private home because they'll be having troubles of their own.

Here's the theory. Obamacare is going to expand the number of people getting subsidized medical care, i.e. Medicaid. In an effort to stretch the medicaid dollar, that means more emphasis will be placed on acute care, as opposed to the chronic care provided at nursing home. Reimbursements will go down.

At the same time, the government is doing what it can to keep people out of nursing homes. For example, Obamacare sets aside $52 million to help the disabled and veterans to stay out of them.  A program is being considered to encourage people to stay in their homes.

Then there's the fiscal cliff, $700 billion in Medicare cuts that will come from reducing the medicare reimbursements to nursing homes.

I will raise these concerns with Gracedale Administrator Dee Freeman and get back to you.

Brace, Hamm, Pearson & Waitkus Stand For Cedarbrook

Lehigh County's four Democratic Comm'r candidates took advantage of a smiling sun yesterday to conduct a news conference right outside Cedarbrook nursing home, making clear that each of them is opposed to any effort to sell the facility. While Democrats Geoff Brace, Gloria Hamm, Dennis Pearson and Tim Waitkus squinted into the sun, three Republicans candidates running together as a team - Vic Nazziotti, Scott Ott and Lisa Scheller - were spinning out a news release accusing the Dems of trying "to frighten people with false information" and "using the elderly and ailing to advance their political agenda."

In Northampton County, I can assure you that Gracedale residents who have no idea what planet they are on, would be at a news conference concerning the facility. Unions carted them to several Council meetings ... at County expense, of course. The tactic did tug at a few heartstrings, especially as TV cameras whirred away. But I doubt very much that it was good for the residents.

So yesterday, I expected to see a few elderly residents dutifully lined up in wheelchairs next to the Commissioner candidates. I figured one or two of them would be in tears, crying "Where will I go?" a la Gracedale. But it was just the candidates and party boss. Gloria Hamm, who is actually an incumbent, made a point of stating that no residents were asked to participate. "We don't really like to use residents as a poster child," she explained.

Hamm, a R.N. who knows Lehigh County Human Services inside out, also objected to calling Cedarbrook the "poor house," noting that many of the residents are private pay. "Their fiscal responsibility is excellent," she added. "This is a four-star facility." She concluded she would oppose any attempt to privatize Cedarbrook.

Candidate Dennis Pearson mentioned that during the Spring primary, he was the "lone wolf" at a Wescoesville debate in which Republicans Mazziotti, Ott and Scheller "hinted" they would get rid of Cedarbrook. "This is a fine institution," Pearson argued. "This institution has its beds filled," Pearson added. Gracedale, in contrast, has been suffering from a declining census and the drop in revenue that inevitably follows. Pearson also panned the Glenn Eckhart idea of using work release inmates to perform janitorial services, especially since nursing home workers must undergo a criminal background check.

Another candidate, Tim Waitkus, explained that he understands the "power of the profit motive," especially since he works in the health industry himself. But Cedarbrook adds "$1.9 million on the County budget sheet. In reality, it's a cash cow." He questioned whether selling Cedarbrook would really be fiscally conservative.

Geoff Brace, a downtown revitalization specialist, explained that the refrain he hears as he knocks on doors is that voters want politicians to quit fighting and start working to make sure that government works. "One of the pieces of Lehigh County government that actually works, and that probably works best, is Cedarbrook," he stated. "Its services are exemplary. It nets $1.9 million for Lehigh County taxpayers, taking some pressure off the need for property taxes." Brace noted that, without Cedarbrook, Lehigh would have a $1.9 million hole that would have to be filled with property tax increases.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, comparing Cedarbrook and Gracedale is an apples and oranges comparison. And as Gloria Hamm and party boss Rick Daugherty explained, one of the biggest differences is that in Lehigh, County officials from both parties were "very proactive" in fulfilling capital needs. In Northampton, however, leaking windows could wait. A new elevator could wait. And so on.

In a "Gang of Three" news release, Republican candidates Scott Ott, Lisa Scheller and Vic Mazziotti, Democrats are accused of manufacturing a controversy where none exists. Mazziotti is quoted as saying, "Since they jacked up your taxes by 16 percent last year, I suppose they're desperate enough to fabricate an issue in an effort to distract voters from their record. People are smart. Voters won't be fooled."

I know Vic. The quote attributed to him sounds very much unlike him, so I called him. What Vic told me was that he was quoted accurately on Patch when he stated, "I’m absolutely beyond a doubt convinced that the absolutely right thing to do is to sell the county nursing home. Keep in mind that two-thirds of the counties in Pennsylvania do not own a nursing home, and we do not have old people dying on the streets in those other counties.”

In fact, when I spoke to him yesterday, Vic honestly told me that he still thinks residents would receive better care if Cedarbrook were privatized, but that he was persuaded by Tom Muller's Apples and Oranges comparison. There are "no plans" and "no plans to plan" on selling Cedarbrook.

That's a change in position. In a tea party questionnaire, Mazziotti  is "strongly against" keeping Cedarbrook. Lisa Scheller  is "somewhat against" keeping the facility. "We need to insure that our elderly are cared for compassionately and effectively, and that would be my only hesitation to privatization," she explains.

Scott Ott failed to state whether he supported Cedarbrook, but stated this. "There’s no longer a solid reason for the county to be in this business. Many private-sector firms do the same thing for the same customer base at competitive prices. Anyone who suggests that only government can provide this service as well, or with as much caring, is simply ignorant, self-interested or intentionally misleading. Transitioning to private ownership will not only improve the facility, but will help to get taxpayers out from under long-term, unsustainable promises made to public-sector union bosses by short-term, ambitious politicians."

Don't know about you, but it sure sounds to me like they wanted to sell it until they realized it might be politically unpopular.

Gracedale & Cedarbrook; Apples & Oranges

Blogger's Note: I originally published this story over a year ago. I'm running it again, in advance of a news conference by Democrats running for Lehigh County Commissioner. Lehigh County Director of Administration Tom Muller lays explains why, even if you believe that selling Gracedale is what's best for its residents, Lehigh's nursing home should remain County-owned.

Let's shove all the pious proclamations about "moral obligations" aside. Although LC Director of Administration Tom Muller, and Commissioners Dougherty and Hansell threw that term around last night as though they were at a revival meeting, the simple reality is that county government has no obligation to provide a nursing home. And if Cedarbrook were the $6 million money pit like Gracedale is in Northampton County, there is little doubt in my mind that they'd all be just as sanctimoniously talking about their "moral obligation" to the taxpayer.

But if Muller did anything at last night's Lehigh County budget hearing, he established pretty clearly that Gracedale and Cedarbrook are completely different animals. What makes fiscal sense in Northampton County might actually be foolhardy in Lehigh.

Below you'll see a copy of Muller's handout. He reluctantly handed it to me, complaining that I'm the "pseudo press." Then he grumbled that all I ever do is photograph the back of his head, even though even he agrees it's his better side.

Some Commissioners have suggested that perhaps Lehigh should consider selling or leasing Cedarbrook. Muller gave what Commissioner Bill Hansell repeatedly referred to as an "extraordinarily good presentation." Now Hansell thought everyone gave "extraordinarily good presentations" last night, but Muller was so damn good he even convinced the tea party members in the peanut gallery.

First, he compared the two institutions. Gracedale has a two star rating [Blogger's note - it recently went up to three], while Cedarbrook has a four star rating. Gracedale has filled 638 of 725 beds [Blogger's note - in September, it was down to 585], while Cedarbrook has filled 668 of 680 beds. Gracedale is county-managed, while Cedarbrook's leadership is private.

Second, Cedarbrook, unlike Gracedale has two facilities in Fountain Hill and South Whitehall. Only South Whitehall is actually licensed. According to Muller, "We cannot sell our beds at Fountain Hill. If we wanted to sell the facility, we'd have to work out some deal where we would sell it to somebody contingent upon them applying for a license, getting a license for those beds."

Third, Cedarbrook is actually projected to earn $3.5 million next year. But because of the debt service on multiple nursing home bonds and the $2.4 million cost of health insurance for retirees, the County will have to kick in $2.1 million.

Fourth, if Lehigh were to lease Cedarbrook, it would still lose $932,000 per year. That's because the cost of retiree health insurance would actually increase.

Fifth, if Lehigh were to sell Cedarbrook, it would have to pay off all the bonds and other loans. The retiree health insurance cost would increase, just like with a lease. Assuming a sale for $26.6 million, the County would walk away with just $317,973. [Blogger's note - Northampton County expected to walk away with $35 million].

Muller indicated that "we intend to maintain our four star rating. We have no intention of going below that. The best Gracedale has ever hit was 3.68, briefly, ... . There's a lot of money in those little tenths of a point." Muller also stated that Cedarbrook is getting away from housing four residents in one room to make the home more attractive to aging baby boomers. [Blogger's note - Gracedale has consistently refused to do that under previous management].

Earlier that evening, Cedarbrook administrators indicated that labor accounts for 66% of Cedarbrook's total cost. $10 million of the $65 million budget goes to pay for the defined benefit pension. They are hopeful that baby boomers will fill the nursing homes in the years to come, although they acknowledge another trend is assisted living and care at home.

Muller documents here.

Dem Comm'r Candidates To Hold News Conference About Cedarbrook

This Monday, 11 AM, Democratic Lehigh County Comm'r candidates will hold a news conference at Cedarbrook's doorstep to oppose what Dem chair Rick Daugherty is calling plans to sell the facility by the Republican "Gang of Three." Rick is referring to former Northampton County Fiscal Affairs Director Vic Mazziotti; Silberline Manufacturing Co. owner Lisa Scheller, wife of GOP party boss Wayne Woodman; and Scott "Scrappleface" Ott, a self-described satirist who seems to be interested only in national issues.

Those three do have their own PAC, My Lehigh County, but do they really advocate Cedarbrook's sale? Thier web page is silent on the subject, but I will try to determine how at least one of them feels by Monday.

A fourth GOP candidate, Brad Osborne, is not included by Daugherty among this "Gang of Three."

Democratic candidates for Commissioner are downtown revitalization specialist Geoff Brace; incumbent Gloria Hamm, who is also a nurse; activist Dennis Pearson, whose eloquent views were expressed here yesterday; and Tim Waitkus, a drug salesman, but the legal kind.

Should Lehigh County Sell Its Nursing Home?

As most of you know, I was and remain an avid supporter of the sale of Northampton County's nursing home, Gracedale. County governments throughout the state are shedding their nursing homes because they are costly and inefficient. Because a County has other obligations, like fixing bridges or running a prison, they will often give those matters more priority than the capital needs of a nursing home. What happens is what you see at Gracedale, where $20 million in long-neglected improvements are needed. In the end, the person who suffers the most is the resident.

To make matters worse, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements are actually higher at privately-owned nursing homes. So the County, which should not be forced to provide services that are being supplied by the private sector, must do so for less money.

I hope they prove me wrong, but I believe Gracedale will continue to lose money under the private management of Premier Healthcare Resources.

You might think that because I support Gracedale's sale, I think Lehigh County should sell its nursing home, too. Think again.

Cedarbrook, unlike Gracedale, has had private management for several years now. Lehigh County administrators will deny it's losing money, but it is, at least according to some financial experts who have looked at the records. But the loss is small.

Cedarbrook, unlike Gracedale, would be more difficult to sell. There are essentially two different locations, and only one license. That's a problem.

Cedarbrook, unlike Gracedale, is rated very high by Medicare and Medicaid. Four stars. They provide quality care to residents, which should be the primary concern.

Dennis Pearson is a candidate for Lehigh County Commissioner. Although I like to tease him, especially for his writing, I was very impressed by his argument for keeping Cedarbrook. I disagree with his assertion that nursing home services are a core function of County government, but wish to compliment him for coming out and taking a position, and actually making some excellent points.

Here's his essay, which I edited slightly.

In Northampton County this Spring, the call for the sale and privatization of Gracedale, the Northampton County Nursing Home, resulted in an uproar and referendum that blocked the sale of the County Home, which according to Northampton County Officials has a shortfall debt of $6 million... But that referendum did not prevent the County from hiring Premier Healthcare Resources, a professional management team, to run the County Home on behalf of the County.

We learn, not only will a private company run Gracedale nursing home, but a private company, PPL subsidiary McClure Co., will also manage $13 million in capital improvements to the aging county-owned facility.

While this is going on in Northampton County, my Republican opponents have hinted in their primary presentations and talk that they would approve the sale of Lehigh County's Cedar Brook Senior Citizen nursing home .... Which would provide only a one-time additional bulge to the County's Treasury only to be used up over time .

This is the wrong thing to do .. As it is, L W Consulting. Lehigh County's professional management team,  is already doing a bang up job running Cedar Brook ... In fact, Cedar Brook does not constitute a drain on the County Budget ... So I ask, why put Cedar Brook up for sale? ... As indicated before, such a sale would only provide a short-time benefit to the County Treasury. But the need to provide nursing home care for the aged, the sick, and disabled, will continue to exist and in the long term. Who knows what the County must do to provide for this need?

I said this at the Wescosville meeting in the Spring ... I said this before the Lehigh Valley Labor Council, I said this at Van Bittner Hall before the Tri-Locals in the Spring, I said this before the Bethlehem City Democratic Committee and I said this at the Lehigh County Democratic Committee Picnic. And I continue to say that now. But as of yet there has not been a word in the printed or electronic media that I said it.


I do not favor the privatization of Cedar Brook ...The reason for Cedar Brook's success and Gracedale's financial woes is a matter of occupancy. Responsible officials at Cedar Brook work hard to keep beds full, while responsible officials at Gracedale have too many empty beds at present .. Perhaps, If they also have success in filling the beds, their financial outlook might be better... And I see no reason why they can't fill the beds.

On another issue, Commissioner [Glenn] Eckhart proposed that Lehigh County lay off employees at the Court House and at Cedar Brook who perform janitorial and lawn maintenance services and replace them with work-release prisoners from the Lehigh County Jail... Eckhart's idea is irresponsible... For one, it would cause the layoff of good people who had to pass a police security check before they could even be hired to their present jobs ... A security check that one would think the work-release prisoners could not pass ... Second --- it is ridiculous to think that we are taking jobs from law-abiding citizens in favor of those who broke the law and haven't as yet paid their debt to society...And this horrible thought comes to mind --- Would they be able to gain access to sensitive medical and Court records? And third --- Using work-release labor at Cedar Brook could become a cause of financial instability for our nursing homes in that family members might seek the transfer of their loved ones to other facilities in the event work-release prisoners are used at Cedar Brook ... And as I said, Cedar Brook currently is not a drain of the County Budget because of its success in maintaining high occupancy ... We don't want to do anything that would change this status quo.

And lastly, concerning this status quo, I am not one who whom will act like a bear or bull in a china shop carelessly rambling about and destroying the contents of the shop at will ... A role that some of my fellow campaigners may be willing to fulfill ...Yes, I have been a neighborhood activist, and have confronted politicians in the past about important neighborhood, municipal and regional issues .. But my intent is not to change the status quo unless the status quo is indeed the problem.

If Lehigh County indeed has a problem with its nursing homes, we should not tear down any bridges, or take unsupportive drastic actions, unless a better long-term solution both for the nursing home residents and long-term County interests is found... Until then, I strongly support the continued operations of the Lehigh County nursing services. 

In my mind, County Nursing Home services remains a one of the core functions of County government.

Gracedale & Cedarbrook: Apples & Oranges

Let's shove all the pious proclamations about "moral obligations" aside. Although LC Director of Administration Tom Muller, and Commissioners Dougherty and Hansell threw that term around last night as though they were at a revival meeting, the simple reality is that county government has no obligation to provide a nursing home. And if Cedarbrook were the $6 million money pit like Gracedale is in Northampton County, there is little doubt in my mind that they'd all be just as sanctimoniously talking about their "moral obligation" to the taxpayer.

But if Muller did anything at last night's Lehigh County budget hearing, he established pretty clearly that Gracedale and Cedarbrook are completely different animals. What makes fiscal sense in Northampton County might actually be foolhardy in Lehigh.

Below you'll see a copy of Muller's handout. He reluctantly handed it to me, complaining that I'm the "pseudo press." Then he grumbled that all I ever do is photograph the back of his head, even though even he agrees it's his better side.

Some Commissioners have suggested that perhaps Lehigh should consider selling or leasing Cedarbrook. Muller gave what Commissioner Bill Hansell repeatedly referred to as an "extraordinarily good presentation." Now Hansell thought everyone gave "extraordinarily good presentations" last night, but Muller was so damn good he even convinced the tea party members in the peanut gallery.

First, he compared the two institutions. Gracedale has a two star rating, while Cedarbrook has a four star rating. Gracedale has filled 638 of 725 beds, whle Cedarbrook has filled 668 of 680 beds. Gracedale is county-managed, while Cedarbrook's leadership is private.

Second, Cedarbrook, unlike Gracedale has two facilities in Fountain Hill and South Whitehall. Only South Whitehall is actually licensed. A cording to Muller, "We cannot sell our beds at Fountain Hill. If we wanted to sell the facility, we'd have to work out some deal where we would sell it to somebody contingent upon them applying for a license, getting a license for those beds."

Third, Cedarbrook is actually projected to earn $3.5 million next year. But because of the debt service on multiple nursing home bonds and he $2.4 million cost of health insurance for retirees, the County will have to kick in $2.1 million.

Fourth, if Lehigh were to lease Cedarbrook, it would still lose $932,000 per year. That's because the cost of retiree health insurance would actually increase.

Fifth, if Lehigh were to sell Cedarbrook, it would have to pay off all the bonds and other loans. The retiree health insurance cost would increase, just like with a lease. Assuming a sale for $26.6 million, the County would walk away with just $317,973.

Muller indicated that "we intend to maintain our four star rating. We have no intention of going below that. The best Gracedale has ever hit was 3.68, briefly, ... . There's a lot of money in those little tenths of a point." Muller also stated hat Cedarbrook is getting away from housing four residents in one room to make the home more attractive to aging baby boomers.

Earlier that evening, Cedarbrook administrators indicated that labor accounts for 66% of Cedarbrook's total cost. $10 million of the $65 million budget goes to pay for the defined benefit pension. They are hopeful that baby boomers will fill the nursing homes in the years to come, although they acknowledge another trend is assisted living and care at home.

Cedarbrook

Longevity at County Nursing Homes

On Thursday, September 9th at 1:30PM, Cedarbrook Resident Esther Miller will celebrate her 104th birthday. Cedarbrook Allentown staff and family of Esther’s will be commemorating the special occasion with a party!

Just last week, Gracedale resident Beulah Young (not Old) turned 110.

Here's a Lehigh County Fish Story

Cedarbrook Nursing Homes’ Allentown and Fountain Hill residents are gone fishin' for the next 10 days.

Cedar Creek, located near the Cedarbrook facility in South Whitehall, is stocked right now with 200 trout donated by the Cedar Creek Sportsmen Association. Youi should probably subtract 20 for the amount of fish I got today when I saw this news release.

Residents from 11 different get to fish for about an hour and a half in a catch-and-release program. If the caught fish are small enough, they're being plunked into the new county toilet fish bowls, designed by Comm'r Percy Dougherty to save water.

He's a doctor, you know.

Those unlucky fish who swallow the hook become the main event at a Fish Fry later in the month of June. Everyone involved with the annual fishing week gets invited to the Fish Fry and to try the new toilet fish bowl.

No word yet on who is supplying the keg.