Task force recommends keeping nursing home

A special independent task force reporting to the Elmore Medical Center Board of Trustees has recommended retaining the nursing home in any plans the board has for hospital expansion.

In a working partnership with Elmore Medical Center, a Community Elder Care Task Force (ECTF), lead by task force chairperson Cindy Terriberry, met in a two-day session recently to learn about the changing trends in elder care services.

The group sought to identify issues and shortfalls in local elder care services and develope a set of recommendations to help guide the community in developing options for elder care services in this area.

The task force recommended to that board that "in the best interests of the community," it include nursing home services in the plans to expand Elmore Medical Center.

The task force reported that it was "in the best interest of the community to include a necessary and appropriate number of nursing home beds with a complementary 'Swing Bed' program to cover the immediate and future need for long-term care," and reported that it "realized that those beds would increase the total amount of money being requested in the bond for the Elmore Medical Center expansion."

The Task Force also noted its hope that the community would nevertheless continue to support efforts to increase and expand home and community-based services that provide the levels of care and services needed to help seniors stay in their homes and remain as independent as possible for as long as possible.

The task force expressed its belief that "our community has a responsibility to work together to expand home and community-based services for the elderly to provide the right service, to the right person, in the right place, at the right time to help seniors live independently as long as possible."

In response to the Elder Care Task Force recommendation, Elmore Medical Center is in the process of evaluating and developing a plan to include the appropriate number of nursing home beds into the facility expansion plan.

The updated expansion plan will be presented to the Hospital Board of Trustees for their consideration and to the Elder Care Task Force representatives for their input as soon as all the essential information is compiled. The board is expected to take up the matter at its June meeting, and at that time it may decide to proceed with a bond issue for a major expansion and remodeling of the hospital.

The Elder Care Task Force was composed of representatives from local elder care service providers, including home-based, community-based and hospital-based service, and a cross section of community advocates from the surrounding communities that represent various interests and demographics. Of the 35 people invited to the task force meeting May 5-6, 27 participated both days and three additional individuals participated in the first day's education program.

The education program focused on examining changing trends in elder care, nationally, regionally and locally.

Elder care was discussed both as a consumer-driven service and as a reimbursement driven industry. A broad overview of regulatory requirements was discussed.

Just as importantly, elder care was addressed as a "need of the heart in our rural community."

The participants took a close look at elder care services currently available and discussed options and opportunities during breakout sessions that encouraged face-to- face discussions between community advocates and service providers.

Additional recommendations made by the Elder Care Task Force included:

* Developing improved community case management capabilities by creating a resource database for elder care services.

* Developing a transitional counselor position in line with a recent Medicare/Medicaid initiative to assist in the coordination of individual care needs using community services, and developing a community partnership referral process.

* Seeking grant funds for start-up positions through such agencies as AmeriCorps.

Labor force recommendations included increasing the number of "safe, ethical, trustworthy skilled workers for home-based elder care," offering training programs specific to the skill level needed and promoting community cooperation in the recruitment of qualified healthcare professionals.

The last recommendation focused on public information and education, which included establishing an elder care task force ad hoc committee to work with the Elmore Medical Center/Center for Community Health, to develop and promote an on-going community-wide education and outreach plan for elder care services.

The Elder Care Task Force identified additional issues concerning senior activities and transportation needs, senior nutrition and drug programs, home modification services, and participation in lobbying opportunities that target elder care issues.

Due to time constraints in the 2-day session, detailed recommendations were not developed further.