Caledonia Argus

County board supports collaborative grant application

Posted: 11/11/03

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

The Houston County Board lent its support Tuesday, November 4 for a collaborative matching grant application that includes 11 regional long term care facilities located in Houston and Fillmore Counties.

Lutheran Home Director Lloyd Swalve and CEO of Valley View Nursing Home, Tom Lindh, appeared before the board explaining that the grant money would fund research on how area long term care facilities can deliver non-duplicative services to area elderly, and implementation of programs to meets the needs of those elderly.

If approved for the grant, the 11 regional facilities would be responsible for matching the $228,700 grant with cash and in-kind contributions.

Swalve said state and federal budget cutbacks have forced area long term care facilities to work together to provide services that are cost effective.

The effects of budget cutbacks are seen everywhere. Lutheran Home, for example, has had 16 beds decertified. Recently, the nursing home in Houston cut in-home patient visits on weekends and holidays. Lindh said, ìItís not a good thing. If we donít have services, they will go somewhere else. Their kids will take them.î

A collaborative effort could make it cost effective to provide that service again.

Swalve explained that area long term care facilities began meeting 18 months ago after the results of a gaps analysis indicated some gaps in services to the elderly. ìThe gaps did a good job on indicating gaps, but not a good job on how to fill the gaps,î said Swalve.

The countyís role in the collaborative would be to provide staff support for input on needs from the countyís perspective.

Human Services Director Beth Wilms said she would support the collaborative. ìLinda (Public Health Director Linda Grupa) and I are in support of the collaborative. Things are just going to get tighter on our end. This dovetails nicely into getting the biggest bang for your buck. Weíre very excited about telemedia. Itís not the best in the terms of customer relations, but itís the wave of the future.î

Telemedia is another form of healthcare that is designed to replace costly visits from health care providers. It is a video interactive, user friendly monitor with nurses on the other end that work with patients in the home.

Commissioner Ann Thompson said of the collaborative, ìIf you donít do this, youíll lose out in the end.î

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