Fond du Lac County Exec Proposes Closing County Nursing Home
In a memo sent to Fond du Lac County Supervisors, the County Executive is proposing a shut-down of the nursing home.
See below for the memo, click here to see the evaluation of the dedicated staff.
As you can see, they provide a better continuity of care than private homes in FDL County and homes statewide.
FDL County Supervisor Todd Schmitz is asking people to ask questions before this happens, below is his memo. I think the last question is the most important (so I bolded it):
See below for the memo, click here to see the evaluation of the dedicated staff.
Turn-Over Rate - Rolling Medows - FDL County Avg - WI Avg
Full-time Nurses (RNs) - 100% - 81% - 81%
Part-time Nurses (RNs) - 89% - 79% - 76%
Full-time Nurses (LPNs) - 100% - 71% - 79%
Part-time Nurses (LPNs) - 100% - 72% - 73%
Full-time Nurse Aides - 100% - 91% - 76%
Part-time Nurse Aides - 80% - 64% - 65%
As you can see, they provide a better continuity of care than private homes in FDL County and homes statewide.
TO: Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors
FROM: Allen Buechel, County Executive
DATE: May 8, 2006
RE: ROLLING MEADOWS NURSING & REHABILITATION CENTER
This is to inform you that on Tuesday, May 9, at 2:00 PM I will notify the staff and residents at Rolling Meadows Nursing & Rehabilitation Center that I am recommending that the facility be closed in September 2006. It is my intent to have the recommendation on the agenda to the full County Board at the May 16 session, following a review of the recommendation by the Facilities & Information Technology Committee on May 10 at 4:30 PM.
This is a difficult decision for all of us, and I know that it will be a difficult vote for you on May 16. I am making this recommendation after much deliberation and study. I have attempted to avoid doing so until now; however, it is a decision that must be made.
You may be contacted by family members of residents and/or employees about the closing. Please review the document that I had sent you or you may refer the call to me at 929-3155. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
FDL County Supervisor Todd Schmitz is asking people to ask questions before this happens, below is his memo. I think the last question is the most important (so I bolded it):
Hello, Please contact your FDL County Supervisor and ask for public hearings and a real debate on weather we should cut more FDL County human services by closing Rolling Meadows (See County Exec Memo below). If you can please attend the Facilities and Technology Meeting scheduled for 4:30 today (it may be the only chance for the public to speak).
Legitimate questions must be answered before any supervisor votes: Has the lack of upkeep at Rolling Meadows hastened the decline in population and fostered a shift to more aesthetically pleasing but lesser skilled nursing, private enterprises? Are private care providers held to the same standards of care as public providers? Who oversees private providers and what are families' options for dealing with poor quality care that might be injurious or deadly? What are the turnover rates in the private sector for employees who provide the most intimate of care? Do low pay and poor benefits packages diminish the quality of care in the private sector? Who will be responsible for our elderly, should the private sector decide their facilities are not profitable enough?
posted by Jef Hall at 11:41 AM
9 Comments:
So if no private home will take an individual in Fond du lac County I assume they would come to our county. Correct?
So because they have dedicated employees and MAY provide better care (no eveidence there) they should keep the home open? There is something called a budget. Did you ever think they need to do this to stay within it? In your perfect little socialist world everyone would have a government job with great benefits.
Actually, many counties have found that they spend more on caring for the elderly AFTER they close their homes. Why? Now they have to pay the market rate for care. Almost universally, you see the quality of care is worse, yet more expensive in private homes.
This was Eau Claire's experience.
However, the county still has a responsibility to pay for that care. With the upcoming baby boomers reaching retirement and an age of need, many without ever establishing a savings for retirement and care, we will be looking at a large growth of need.
Now is not a practical time for counties to be getting out of the elderly care business.
If there will be a greater need why are we building a smaller home in our county?
The plans for the home are expandable if (or when) need increases.
Anonymous 3:51, someday too, you will be old. Be careful, you will reap what you sow.
That still does not explain why we would build a smaller one with the increased demand for future beds. Park View is near capacity now.
fond du lac county needs to look at how much they pay out on rn wages and management wages. they have cut staff such cnas who are the caregivers but not no rns they spend alot per year on rn wages figure how much they pay out on some days there is 6 to 8 rns in the building at one time. and with the census at 64 residents do they need 2 dieticians and 2 social workers. do they need an assistant director of nursing. we went without one for years. do we need a rn just for scheduling inservices and quailty assurance. do we need a nurse manager for the 2nd floor. Its not a hospital its a nursing home. Theres alot of ways to make cuts and save money Start putting the work back on to the director of nursing All shes done is passed on all her work. All she wants to hire are rns The lpns that work there doing the same thing a rn does and more
its a known fact they have turned away potentional residents due to behavior problems. they accept some with behavior problems but not others. does this make sense. Also its been said that some people they make money off of and not others. so they would rather keep a bed empty then make some money. Its suppose to be a county home not a private home Isnt the county home suppose to take in even the poor. A cleaning out in management would be a good place to start. Isnt a county home suppose to take in the poorest the sickest and the private pay And even challenging residents. They will take them in when they are private pay.
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