The McLean County Board is forming an advisory committee in response to a request for proposal to analyze operations of the county’s nursing home.
The board has already approved hiring an outside consultant to study the issue, but McLean County Board Chair John McIntyre said on GLT’s Sound Ideas that may no longer be needed after the local committee gives its opinion.
As of right now, the county board is divided on the issue and is considering two possibilities: shutting down the nursing home or trying to keep it open. Its monthly losses have topped $120,000 for the past year or so.
“We’re getting board members who philosophically want to keep the nursing home open. I share that philosophy, but we also have to be realistic and see where we are financially,” McIntyre said.
McIntyre said he offered to organize the committee to add more options to the mix and give the nursing home a better chance at staying open.
“One (element of our board) was wanting to advocate closing the nursing home immediately or within two months. I didn’t agree with that,” McIntyre said. “I think we really needed to take an objective look at the whole situation. And I think that some of the same people didn’t want to spend money for consultants. They thought the members of our county board and our committees had enough ability to examine the operations of our nursing home and make a decision. I didn’t agree, and I felt we needed some outside expertise and advice on doing this.”
The committee of eight to 10 people will include CEOs and directors of long-term care facilities and people who have hands-on experience with Medicaid.
“I think we have the right people who can help us do that study and see just exactly what the need is going to be,” McIntyre said. “We’re in a sandwiched generation. We’re trying to provide care for people, and we’re getting to that point where everyone is going to require some care at different times, but I feel we have to provide that. As a local governmental body, if we can do that, if we can help and we can afford it, then I’d like to continue trying to provide that service.”
McIntyre said the committee should be up and running in the next two weeks.
You can also listen to GLT's full interview:
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