The future of the Albany County Nursing Home remains unclear as questions continue to be posed about the need for county-run facilities in tough times.
On Dec. 5, the County Legislature adopted a $598 million dollar budget, which would raise property taxes by 8 percent. County Executive Michael Breslin vetoed that budget on Dec. 12. One reason for the veto was $1.4 million in Personnel Service Savings, which Breslin said would have “severe consequences” for the nursing home, due to an inability to hire certified nursing assistants.
Despite the battle between Breslin and lawmakers, little conversation over the long-term future of the nursing home was incorporated into the budget talks.
“I think every single member of the legislature has a sincere interest in protecting the elderly and those that need our care,” said Legislator Richard Mendick, whose district covers areas of Selkirk, South Bethlehem and Glenmont. “We also have to protect the taxpayers. Unfortunately, the Albany County Nursing Home has run in a significant deficit.”
That deficit has climbed over $20 million and county officials, in a November appeal to the State Department of Health for a Certificate of Need for a new facility, projected that the deficit will climb to over $36 million. In the past two budget cycles, County Executive Michael Breslin has advocated that the county sell the home.
“Clearly there are a number of legislators who feel that we should build a new nursing home, and regardless of the cost, we should run that as a county-owned nursing home,” said Mendick. “I’m of the opinion that there are better alternatives, there are cost-effective alternatives, such as looking at running it publicly-owned, but privately run.”
There are others who agree with Mendick. In November, the League of Women Voters of Albany County released the findings of its study of long-term care needs. The study was based on six months of research and interviews with experts, facility staff and patients. One recommendation in the report is that the county should delay plans to build a new facility.
“We recommend that the County continue operation of the current facility and delay plans to build a new facility,” the report reads. It goes on to say that alternatives have not been adequately explored.
The League of Women Voters report also suggests creation of a public-private task force that would explore the full range of options over a six-month period, with considerations given to expansion of assisting living residences, incentives for private nursing homes to accept Medicaid and the size and scope of the problem concerning patients who are hard to place.
Legislator Charles Dawson, whose district lies entirely within the Town of Bethlehem, said the county can no longer afford to be in the business of operating the nursing home due to the unreliability of the state as a fiscal partner.
“The extraordinary costs of institutional care at our home deprives our county of its ability to help those who wish to remain at home in a non-institutional setting as well as short-changes funding available for many other important programs for seniors, children and others in need,” said Dawson.
Those who support construction of a new facility stress that a county-run nursing home would accept patients that other facilities wouldn’t, would provide better-paying and stable employment to health care professionals and would meet the needs of a county that already has too few beds.
Many counties around New York are considering what to do with their facilities. In Ulster County in the Hudson Valley, lawmakers recently voted to transfer control of the nursing home to a local development corporation, with the hopes of selling the facility to a private owner in 2013. Mendick agreed that the trend is to move away from county-run nursing homes.
“People are now trying to stay in their own homes or in the care of loved ones for a much longer period of time, reducing the need for nursing homes,” said Mendick.
No matter the arguments, the consensus is clear that some action has to be taken.
“We have a structural deficit within the budget that we continue to cover up by increasing the tax rate and cutting where we can,” said Mendick, who added that vacant positions have been cut and revenues have been inflated.
“The cost of the nursing home is clearly having an impact on the county’s finances and jeopardizing other programs which are taking drastic cutbacks to make room for the nursing home,” said Dawson.