Nursing home plan sparks debate

Lori Hammelman
Posted 10/12/17

Emotions ran the gamut Thursday at a public hearing held at Spring Lake Marina over a proposed new nursing and rehab facility in Rochelle.

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Nursing home plan sparks debate

Posted

ROCHELLE — Emotions ran the gamut Thursday at a public hearing held at Spring Lake Marina over a proposed new nursing and rehab facility in Rochelle.

In August, Liberty Village announced plans to build a skilled nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living facility, including a wing for residents with memory issues as well as independent living apartments.

After the plans were released, Delena Kemna-Kahn, the administrator of Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Living Center in DeKalb, filed a request with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board for a hearing on the proposal. She and several other area regional nursing home officials are objecting to a new facility being built here, questioning the need for more beds and the availability of qualified staffing.

On Thursday, the first to address the two representatives from Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board was Matt Hales, Director of Liberty Village, explaining the plans for the 63,000 square-foot facility.

“The facility would include 92 nursing beds, more private rooms, individualized neighborhoods… away from an institutional dining room setting,” Hales said. “Liberty Village is unique in its approach and delivery of care, our facilities are welcoming to the resident and the entire family, and we look forward to providing our services to the Rochelle community.”

Speaking in opposition was Kemna-Kahn, as well as five others against the project with the common theme of staffing shortages and an already excess of beds available throughout Ogle County and surrounding areas. Kemna-Kahn said recent state inventory counts equated to an excess of 16 nursing home beds in Ogle County.

She also cited census population numbers as of July of 2016, which indicated a decrease in Ogle County’s population from 2010.

“There are already six skilled nursing facilities in Ogle County… two in Rochelle, one in Oregon, Mt. Morris, Polo, and Byron for a total of 565 beds. Adding another 92 beds to this service area would constitute a 16 percent increase to the total bed count,” Dalena Kemna-Kahn said. “How are operators expected to recruit staff without population growth? Every skilled nursing facility in Ogle County currently is advertising for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants.”

Kemna-Kahn said currently Pine Acres has openings for three nurses and 14 certified nursing assistants, as well as in the housekeeping and dietary departments.

“It’s hard to find qualified workers now with the current level of competition. Adding an additional competitor would make a small workforce pool smaller. It’s not needed based on the assessments the board completes on an ongoing basis. It’s not in the best interests of the business that already serve the skilled nursing needs of this service region.”

Echoing Kemna-Kahn’s sentiments on an already excess of available nursing home beds, Daniel Ritter with Oregon Living and Rehabilitation Center also expressed opposition to the project. Ritter too cited census figures reflecting the decline in the county’s population.

“Oregon Living and Rehabilitation Center opposes construction on the grounds it would not only add unneeded beds, but would impose unwarranted financial harm to the existing healthcare facilities in the county,” he stated. “Given the current census challenge, not to mention the challenge to find qualified staff, it would have an unwarranted and unnecessary negative effect on long term care providers.”

Jen Stark, Director of Community Relations for multiple facilities expressed concern that the “construction of this facility would cannibalize nursing homes in Ogle County and surrounding areas. Stark said the current staff shortages have resulted in relying on agency staffing “to fill the void.”

Greg Wilson with Petersen Health Care brought up the backlog of state payments owed to his facilities in Rochelle.

“The aging and decaying bed inventory in Illinois… there’s some truth to that, but not because providers don’t want to update their buildings. We have replaced roofs, remodeled, but as I stand here today the State of Illinois owes my company almost $100 million, and this goes back multiple years,” Wilson said. “Our response — pay me, give me a fair rate and pay me on time. I’ll put $2-3 million in all of our homes. But the state has to do its job first.”

Wilson also discussed staff shortages and the potential of his two facilities folding if this project is approved.

“If approved, our two facilities will cease to exist in Rochelle. The poor and neediest citizens in this area needing long term care will no longer have options in this community,” he said.

Representatives from Prairie Crossing Living and Rehabilitation Center in Shabbona, as well as San Gabriel in Rochelle also voiced opposition.

Show of support

Close to 30 people expressed their support to the proposed project. These came from lifelong residents, business people and those with family that currently are or have been in nursing care.

Many testified to the hardships placed on them and their family members who have had to travel out of the area to visit their loved ones. Several told stories of having to put their parents or grandparents in facilities out of the area due to services that are not provided for them in Rochelle.

Pastor Joy Alsop with Faith Lutheran Church shared her experiences.

“People love this community and love to be a part of it. It has broken my heart to see people leave this community they love in order to receive the services we are talking about today,” Alsop said. “People do the best when their family is there. I know how hard it is to find good staff, but they need their family. I have people who cannot be with them because of their situation… people want to be in Rochelle, where they love and by their family.”

Vicki Snyder-Chura, a Rochelle resident supports the facility not only because of the need for more Alzheimer’s care, but also wanting to keep “our loved ones in the community they know and love.”

Snyder-Chura also serves on the Rochelle Planning and Zoning Committee, citing visitors that come to the city to see their loved ones at a new facility will also frequent stores and restaurants, which in turn supports city services, parks, and schools.

“This would be adjacent to the high school, and we look forward to establishing relationships for our kids to visit with and work with residents of [Liberty Village] as they do with San Gabriel. The kids enjoy it as do the residents. Our greatest generation and baby boomers worked very hard. They deserve the best and they deserve options,” Snyder-Chura said.

As emotions were running high from those showing their support, two residents expressed why they believe this project should move forward, drawing huge applause.

Mic Brooks shared his personal story about his mother, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and his father with Parkinson’s. He said due to the disease’s progression, they had to move his mother from San Gabriel to a facility in Mt. Morris. This placed a burden, he said, when it came time to visit. Brooks said he welcomes the proposed facility and to “have more services locally for the continuum of care necessary as we all age.”

“I certainly hope your decisions are not simply made by numbers. I don’t care if there is capacity in our community or our county. Families are going to go where they feel the care is best given, and they will drive to wherever it takes to get that care,” Brooks said. “Quite honestly, the quality of the care is the most important thing. If there is [excess] capacity in the area, maybe it’s because people choose to go someplace else.”

Following after Brooks, Michael Boehle said he is not against any of the current facilities as he has family in their care, but said the drive 90 miles each Sunday to take his 94-year-old mother to church takes its toll.

“We need something local. I’m with Mic [Brooks]. If your beds aren’t full maybe it’s your fault,” Moehle said. “I know people who are at San Gabriel. I don’t even know why they are in the equation. It’s not a healthcare facility, it’s assisted living. If the residents need more care, they are out of there. They go someplace to these other facilities. I’m definitely in support of this.”

Resident Carolyn Cryer spoke emotionally, showing support. One by one, residents and family members shared why they believe Liberty Village would be welcomed, mainly due to the burdens of traveling long distances to visit family, but most importantly of the nursing home residents needing support from their friends and family.

Dr. John Prabhaker urged the board members to not only think about the numbers in terms of making their decision. Prabhaker also said he believes competition is good. He shared a story when he first began practicing as a doctor and his first visit to a hospital was not successful due to the amount of doctors already there. After arriving at Rochelle Community Hospital, Prabhaker said he was welcomed.

“You have to put faces to the numbers… you are hearing individual’s stories here. People in situations like these, in nursing home facilities, familiarity is important. Not only from family, but friends too,” Prabhaker said. “Competition is good. After I came to Rochelle, they said that would be good and we can work together. We have worked together for 30 years. I sincerely believe that having a wonderful facility like this would improve quality of care not only locally but around this area. I am in support of this.”

Common denominator

After the hearing, Terri Yordy shared her takeaway, understanding everyone’s concerns from both sides. Yordy said she believes the education sector might be part of the answer.

“One component that’s missing is the educational program. I think that’s where the dynamic needs to change. Get RCH involved, RTHS, Kishwaukee College, Northern Illinois University on board and see what kind of programs we can work with these facilities to keep them all in business to unify, to support each other and provide quality care,” Yordy said.

Next steps

Anyone wishing to submit written comments is asked to send them to: Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, 525 West Jefferson St., Second Floor, Springfield, IL 62761. Address the letter to the attention of either Mike Constantino or Courtney Avery.

Written requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Dec. 20, 2017.

The State Board will post its findings in a State Board Staff Report, made available on Dec. 26, 2017 after which a public comment period will be opened until Jan. 2, 2018.

The board will meet on Jan. 9, 2018 at 9 a.m. at 2001 Rodeo Dr., Bolingbrook, Illinois. For more information, visit the Illinois Health Facilities and Services website at www.HFSRB.IL.gov.