Closing of Life Care Center Stirs Community Discussion

Islanders shocked by the impending closing of the Life Care Center filled the Mullis Center on Monday night to talk about what possibilities there might be to fill its vital role in the community.

The program organized by Patty Garcia and chaired by Grisha Krivchenia started with a sharing of factual information and moved into brainstorming of ideas. There may well be a second coming together to form work groups to explore both private and governmental sources of funding.

It seemed to most of those who spoke that it will take a combination of private philanthropy and local tax money, and there appeared to be a strong consensus that more realistic, fairer wages are necessary to attract and keep employees long-term.

Julia Thompson, director of rehabilitation services at LCC, said the center is down to 35 residents in long-term care (3 who pay privately and 32 on Medicaid) and it has not been available for several months now as a true convalescent center for short-term rehabilitation after hospital stays. It is scheduled to close in November and is seeking to find alternative placement for the 35 residents.

Government reimbursement for both Medicaid and Medicare has dropped every October since 2010. It costs the facility about $278 per day per resident, according to Che Blaine, the social services director at LCC, but the Medicaid reimbursement now is just $164 per day plus whatever the person receives in social security.

The facility has beds for 46 people but hasn’t the staff for that many, and recruiting staff at $13.50 to $15 an hour for such “hard, dangerous work” is difficult to impossible, according to Patty Garcia.

She also pointed out many other needs in the community that might be met by a full-service convalescent center, such as adult day care, infant and child care, and patient rehabilitation.

Several speakers mentioned the cost of housing and contrasted it with the low wages paid by nursing homes.

Minnie Knych, who heads the Northwest Workforce Development Council in Friday Harbor, said, “We have been trying for over a year to find nurses and other workers for LCC. It’s not a housing issue for those who are already here. Many people are just not interested in that line of work… I’m just telling what I know of the difficulties.”

Several persons wondered whether the Life Care Center parent corporation might be asked to donate the building to the community, and Bill Cumming who serves on the Island Rec board told of how when the gravel pit closed, “it made sense to LaFarge to gift that property to us.”

John Geyman, a member of the county board of health and the author of a number of books on how the U.S. pays for health care, pointed out that what we’re facing is “a national problem. Two-thirds of all convalescent centers in the country are for-profit. They cut nursing; they cut staff.” Life Care Centers, he reminded the group, “have just settled with the U.S. government after being accused of billing for $145 million in unnecessary and financially-driven services.”

And then he asked, “And what’s the future of Medicaid?” – referring to a Congressional battle that this week may succeed in repealing Obamacare and drastically cutting Medicaid.

Geyman called the convalescent center “an essential service, started by Gale and Doreen Carter” in the 1970s. He said, “I hope we can end with a strong community-wide effort to raise funding, both private and philanthropic and a hospital district lid lift.”

Che Blaine recommended the book, “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande for its portrayal of creative ideas in the care of seniors. It seemed many of those present were open to new ways of looking at eldercare, such as helping them to stay in their homes as long as possible.

Bill Williams, chair of the public hospital district, said the district board will also be discussing the situation at its regular meeting on Wednesday at 5:00 in the county council meeting room. (The meeting can also be watched on line, either during or after.)

The district currently has two levies, one for Emergency Medical Services and one to fulfill its contract with Peace Island Medical Center. Either one could have a “levy lid lift” or an additional levy could be approved by the voters. The district encompasses San Juan Island and several nearby smaller islands (not Orcas, Lopez, or Shaw).

Those who signed up and gave their email addresses will be notified of future meetings.

Story by Louise Dustrude

– Editor’s note: The following is a list of suggestions that were brainstormed at the meeting:

1. Forestall closing

2. Senior involvement, child care, and affordable housing

3. Community funding effort

4. Task force

5. Hospital districts (all of them), gov’t solution

6. Levies (existing and new)

7. Donate building?

8. Add rehab, respite, and hospice

9. Marijuana tax

10. Partnership and $1.2M levy from entire SJ County, including fair wages

11. What are our needs? Clarify them, before raising funds

12. Clarify short term and long term

13. Fair wages

14. More affordable housing

15. Locally controlled nonprofit organization

16. More in-home care

17. Village at the Harbour extra support, to take on some LCC residents

18. Rehabilitation retreat

19. Life Care Center subsidy?

20. HUD mortgage forgiven?

21. Reaching out to owners for donation of facility or extended operation of LCC

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Categories: Health & Wellness
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