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State Representative Patti Fritz
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8237
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
NEWS COLUMN
Cuts to nursing homes threaten resident care
On both a professional and a personal level, I feel passionate about the level of care we provide to residents of our nursing homes. Other than our children, our elderly and sick family members and neighbors who reside in nursing homes are the most vulnerable. They rely almost totally on others to take care of them physically, as well as tending to their emotional and social needs.
An accounting firm for this industry recently reported that one in four of Minnesota's 402 nursing homes is at risk of closing because of financial losses. Nine in Minnesota closed last year alone, more than 30 in the past ten years.
The state legislature froze the payment rates to nursing homes two years ago because of a massive budget deficit. In addition, another $32 million was trimmed from other nursing home payments.
In Owatonna, the nursing home funding cuts in 2003 amounted to $79,400 at Infinia and almost $146,000 at Cedarview Nursing Home. These cuts are not easy to recover from.
In his proposal for 2005, the Governor wants to eliminate an annual inflation adjustment that about 75% of the state nursing homes are currently entitled to receive. Instead, that money will be used to provide a 2% increase in the first year of the biennium. The end result is that payments to nursing homes will fall further and further behind inflation, making it increasingly more difficult to provide quality care.
The staff at our area nursing homes is dedicated and compassionate. They care deeply about the residents and strive to meet their needs. These cuts have had a big impact on them, however. There are fewer of them, increasing the number of residents they are responsible for. Improvements to buildings and equipment are delayed due to lack of funding. And, despite living costs that continue to rise, they have not had a pay increase in three years.
These are concerns that affect all of us. Whether we currently have family members receiving this level of care, or could face this in the future, we need to pay attention. Our nursing homes cannot take another round of cuts without hurting the residents who depend on them. We need to find a better way.
Please feel free to contact me with advice or questions. You can call me at 1-800-292-0012, write to me at 239 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155 or email me at rep.patti.fritz@house.mn.
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