Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones
Given the choice, most of us want to stay in our homes. Sometimes, people need help to remain at home. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, sometimes they cannot live independently without someone by their side to provide care. Unfortunately, some older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live in the comforts or their home rather than in an assisted living community. Home care in Northfield, MN is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they age. We are proud to have helped tens of thousands of seniors to maintain a higher level of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home care services in Northfield, MN. Always Best Care is here to help.
“Always Best Care comes in to help my dad a shower at night. When the”
Always Best Care comes in to help my dad a shower at night. When the guy came out to interview, he was really good and helpful, but it was just hard to find someone to help with dad been a little bit bigger and heavier. They like the person that they had come out a couple of times. The caregiver is good.
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TESTIMONIALS
“Always Best Care comes in to help my dad a shower at night. When the guy came out to interview, he was really good and helpful, but it was just hard to find someone to help with dad been a little bit bigger and heavier. They like the person that they had come out a couple of times. The caregiver is good.”
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How does In-home Senior Care in Northfield, MN work?
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it's especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age. When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one ages, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
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Personal Care Services
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes or Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Eating
Mobility Issues
Incontinence
Bathing
Dressing
Grooming
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Home Helper Services
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Medication Reminders
Meal Preparation
Pet Care
Prescription Refills
Morning Wake-Up
Walking
Reading
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Companionship Services
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite activities and hobbies while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy other activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress helps reduce the risks of caregiver burnout.
When it comes to non-medical home care, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible. If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Advanced Healthcare Technology
Benefits of Home Care in Northfield, MN
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care.
Age in Place
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
Peace of Mind
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your senior family member is in expert hands.
Socialization
Unlike many senior care facilities where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
Personalized Care Plan
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our care plans are tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for clients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors
While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a unfamiliar assisted living community, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:
Comfort
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old. With the help of elderly care in Northfield, MN, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Healthy Living
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors. Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
Independence
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like an assisted living community. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
Cost and Convenience
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, can be less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care in Northfield, MN gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
Empowers Seniors
Affordable Care Plans
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
Veteran's Benefits
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Long-Term Care Insurance
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Private Insurance
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Life Insurance
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
During your Care Plan consultation with Always Best Care, your Care Coordinator will speak with you about in-home care costs and what options there may be to help meet your budget needs.
Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Northfield,MN understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
Taking the First Step with Always Best Care
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
An assessment of your senior loved one
01
An in-depth discussion of the needs of your senior loved one to remain in their own home
02
Reviewing a detailed Care Plan that will meet your senior loved one's needs
03
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- Neighbors in Northfield are keeping an eye out after a black bear was spotted in a neighborhood overnight Friday.It's the latest of several bear sightings in Minnesota including some close to the Twin Cities."The most we ever get is deer, a fox once in a while," Northfield resident Lauren Vosejpka said.She can now add black bear to the list of wildlife passing through her neighborhood. It was spotted twice overnight Friday digging through garbage cans and bird feeders....
NORTHFIELD, Minn. -- Neighbors in Northfield are keeping an eye out after a black bear was spotted in a neighborhood overnight Friday.
It's the latest of several bear sightings in Minnesota including some close to the Twin Cities.
"The most we ever get is deer, a fox once in a while," Northfield resident Lauren Vosejpka said.
She can now add black bear to the list of wildlife passing through her neighborhood. It was spotted twice overnight Friday digging through garbage cans and bird feeders.
"To know that is was this close is kind of scary. I mean those suckers are huge!" she said.
Even longtime residents like Dick Audiss were surprised.
"I've never ever heard of a bear in Northfield," Audiss said.
Between 12,000 and 16,000 black bears live in Minnesota, the Minnesota DNR says. For the past 20 years the population has been growing and expanding further south and west. The DNR keeps track of sightings on its website.
"Five years ago you would rarely hear about a bear in Hennepin or Ramsey county and now they are fairly regular if not residents," Three Rivers Park District Senior Manager of Wildlife John Moriarty said.
Last week, a mom and her three cubs were spotted in Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove. They were also spotted on Saturday and Sunday evening. Moriarty says it's likely the same bear that's lived in the park since 2020.
"They aren't out there stalking people or stalking your pets. The reason they are coming to your yard is because you left a greasy grill, you're still feeding your dog outside. That's not a good practice for any wildlife," he said.
He says most bear attacks involve pets so it's always best to keep them on a leash. Bringing in garbage cans and taking down bird feeders can help move the bear along.
"It's not common to see them. So feel fortunate if you do get to see one," he said.
Another reason why bear sightings seem to be on the rise is that more people have home security cameras that capture them passing through.
Kirsten Mitchell joined the WCCO team as a reporter in November of 2021. A Saint Paul native, Kirsten is proud to tell stories in her home state. She graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Go Gophs!) and interned at WCCO during her time there.
NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Melting snow is feeding the Cannon River in Northfield, and triggering the first flood warning of the year in Minnesota.Northfield is already seeing some standing water, and the Cannon River – which runs right through downtown – is expected to crest sometime Wednesday afternoon."Seeing a huge log sitting in it is a little unusual," said Andy Sibenaller, as he checked out the raging river after work.Sibenaller and Amy Gerdesmeier received the flood warning a...
NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Melting snow is feeding the Cannon River in Northfield, and triggering the first flood warning of the year in Minnesota.
Northfield is already seeing some standing water, and the Cannon River – which runs right through downtown – is expected to crest sometime Wednesday afternoon.
"Seeing a huge log sitting in it is a little unusual," said Andy Sibenaller, as he checked out the raging river after work.
Sibenaller and Amy Gerdesmeier received the flood warning and came to see the river for themselves.
"The last snowstorm we had melted so fast, I was like 'woah,' and then I drove past it the other day and it was crazy, it was so high," Gerdesmeier said.
According to the latest update from the National Weather Service Monday afternoon, the Cannon River at Northfield is expected to crest something Wednesday afternoon at minor flood stage.
Water had already started to flood the soccer field at Carleton College Monday, as well as parts of East River Trail.
"The river walk is kind of a spillway to our backdoor, and so we're the first place flooded in Rice County every year," said property owner David Hvistendahl.
Since a devastating flood in 2010, Hvistendahl has made big changes to his riverfront properties, including Froggy Bottoms River Pub & Lily PADio.
"We had to reinvest in the building, figure out how to make it more river resistant," he said.
Hvistendahl says he moved his AC unit, raised electrical wires and installed flood panels. He's hopeful this year the water won't reach his patio.
"As always, we feel apprehensive because it can turn on just one good rain storm," he said.
Northfield isn't alone. The National Weather Service says river cities south of St. Paul could be in a flood of trouble soon.
"We'll see kind of like a steady rise in the river levels going into next week, to where we could start seeing some spring peaks by late next week," said NWS hydrologist Craig Schmidt.
Kirsten Mitchell joined the WCCO team as a reporter in November of 2021. A Saint Paul native, Kirsten is proud to tell stories in her home state. She graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (Go Gophs!) and interned at WCCO during her time there.
New commission begins consideration for new Northfield branding
ANDREW DEZIEL Guest Contributorhttps://www.southernminn.com/northfield_news/news/new-commission-begins-consideration-for-new-northfield-branding/article_2d80fc04-df8c-11ed-9485-73d2454ca85e.html
More than a century after it was first coined, Northfield’s “Cows, Colleges and Contentment” slogan has stood the test of time. And while the slogan remains popular in the community, city leaders are hoping to add some new branding ideas to the mix.To help develop develop those ideas, the city launched its Branding Advisory Committee last fall. Led by Jennifer Sawyer, co-founder and partner of Rebound Enterprises, the committee included a wide variety of voices from the private and nonprofit sectors, as well as city ...
More than a century after it was first coined, Northfield’s “Cows, Colleges and Contentment” slogan has stood the test of time. And while the slogan remains popular in the community, city leaders are hoping to add some new branding ideas to the mix.
To help develop develop those ideas, the city launched its Branding Advisory Committee last fall. Led by Jennifer Sawyer, co-founder and partner of Rebound Enterprises, the committee included a wide variety of voices from the private and nonprofit sectors, as well as city government, with several members well versed in branding and design strategies.
Still, the community wasted no time asking for greater public feedback. Over several months, interviews were conducted and an online survey received responses from just under 1,000 people, with current Northfield residents comprising 82% of survey respondents.
All in all, survey respondents were happy with the quality of life and amenities on offer in Northfield. Roughly four out of five said it was likely or very likely that they would recommend Northfield as a high quality option to live, work or visit.
The city received particularly high marks as a safe, healthy and family friendly place to live long term. Respondents were also pleased with the positive and welcoming nature of the city’s people and the engaging and interesting activities available either in Northfield or nearby.
The limited supply of affordable housing was far and away the issue most commonly cited as a weakness. The survey also indicated that while the city’s historic character is a strong suit, it’s not really what draws people to live in Northfield.
To build on that feedback, the council convened a unique work session. Councilors and city staff were seated next to community leaders for deeper discussions, with a goal of boiling down the essence of Northfield into just a few simple, evocative words or concepts.
“Doing good brand work is about simplification and distillation,” said committee member Katie Warren, who was tasked with breaking down the survey results. “If it takes you a paragraph to describe it, you’re not doing it right.”
Bob Thacker, a committee member and career marketing executive, said that identifying the defining characteristics is essential to developing an evocative brand with staying power. Having such a brand also becomes invaluable for the brand owner, driving their sense of purpose.
Thacker cited several high profile branding campaigns that effectively invoked the purpose of a company and built on positive impressions. One example was the iconic Nike “swoosh” logo, which he said serves to reinforce a “brand essence” of “athletic performance.”
Of course, it might seem incredibly unlikely that Northfield could ever come up with branding like Nike’s swoosh or the “I love NY” logo also cited. Thacker told those assembled not to feel any pressure to pull off that kind of miracle, saying that the meeting was instead to serve as a lighthearted brainstorming session.
The centerpiece of the exercise was to identify Northfield’s unique assets, attributes and qualities. The qualities most central to the city’s persona were written down on notecards, with a series of votes used to narrow down the wide range of ideas offered.
To help further develop those ideas, those gathered answered questions like “If Northfield was a food or dish, what would it be?” and “If Northfield were a flavor of ice cream, what would it be?” which garnered predictably funny and unique responses from across the room.
While the colleges may be at the heart of Northfield’s brand, Sawyer said that she’s found the city to be well known for numerous other unique assets, from the onetime presence of Jesse James to the strong arts and culture scene to the Malt-O-Meal plant.
Among survey respondents, the two colleges were cited as the top unique characteristic, closely followed by the city’s charming downtown district, its close connection with the Cannon River, and its high achieving public schools.
Plenty of other assets were cited as well, such as the city’s growing cultural diversity, its proximity to the Twin Cities, its many walkable neighborhoods, the unique resources available to senior citizens and the robust and diverse business climate.
Through several rounds of voting, the room whittled its way down to those assets and qualities collectively seen as most central to the city’s image. Out of that process came a three-word community essence — “Vibrant, Charming, Creative” — which Sawyer hailed as uniquely Northfield.
“You look at that and you say, ‘Would that describe Faribault? Would that describe Owatonna? Would that describe similar towns?’ I don’t think so,” he said.
The discussion will continue at future meetings of the committee, as the group works to encapsulate the community’s modern identity.
Andrew Deziel is a freelance writer. Reach the editor at [email protected].
‘It’s a struggle right now’: Nursing homes press Minnesota lawmakers for help
Dana Fergusonhttps://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/04/13/its-a-struggle-right-now-nursing-homes-press-mn-lawmakers-for-help
PlayRoberta Rankin, known to her family and friends as Bobbi, said it was an easy pick when she decided to move to the Northfield Retirement Community 13 years ago.The long-term care facility was close enough for her kids to visit and the former LP...
Roberta Rankin, known to her family and friends as Bobbi, said it was an easy pick when she decided to move to the Northfield Retirement Community 13 years ago.
The long-term care facility was close enough for her kids to visit and the former LPN who spent her career working in nursing homes said there was another selling point: “I walked into this one and it didn’t smell like a nursing home.”
Like many long-term care facilities around the state, Northfield Retirement Community struggled to stay afloat financially amid the pandemic and as inflation climbed. After losing staff to burnout and higher wages elsewhere, it had to close a memory care wing, along with an in-house cafe that catered to residents and visitors.
“We figured it was harder to rebound from a bad reputation and poor quality care. So as our employees shrunk down, we decided to then decrease the number of residents we're caring for,” said Tom Nielsen, president and CEO of Northfield Retirement Community.
The 248-bed community that incorporates independent living, memory care and skilled nursing services is currently running at about 70 percent capacity. Putting aside independent living sections, which don’t require consistent health care for residents, the community is at about 61 percent of what it could be at full occupancy.
With a smaller staff, the center has had to close beds and turn people away.
“We get between 10 and 15 admission calls every day for people needing to come to a skilled nursing facility, mainly from hospitals that are trying to find placement. And people get backed up in the hospitals, and we're just not able to take them. And a lot of them are from this area in this community,” Nielsen said.
Having fewer residents means that a long term care facility takes in less money, since it can’t bill or reimburse for care for empty beds. With mortgage payments, supplies and utilities still eating up budgets, that makes it harder to break even.
“And so right now, we're not making it financially,” Nielsen said. “It's a struggle right now.”
The pandemic, inflation and the state’s broader workforce shortage have caused a unique strain for nursing homes around the state.
And with a $17.5 billion state budget surplus, long term care advocates said that Minnesota lawmakers should earmark emergency money to keep them in business.
Without a quick and significant cash infusion, dozens of nursing homes stand at risk of closing their doors, providers said. And that could hurt residents and rural communities as those displaced may have to board in hospitals or move to nursing homes far away from their family and friends, providers said.
Adam Masloski, executive director of the Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely, said his 42-bed nursing home is now able to accommodate about 33 to 35 residents due to staffing issues. That limitation has already caused disruptions, he said, because the nearest other nursing home is 50 miles away.
“We're the only place in the area. And so it's hard when you have someone that goes down to Duluth for a surgery, and all they want to do is come back home,” Masloski said. “But we can't take them because we don't have the staff. We've had to rely a lot on agency staffing or traveling staffing. And that in itself is expensive, and really not feasible for a small place like ours.”
Providers feel forgotten in budget talks
With six weeks left in the legislative session, lawmakers will consider ways to boost nursing homes — along with schools, other health care providers, local governments and others — as they wrap up the state’s next two year budget.
They’ll take up new funding streams aimed at helping long-term care facilities recruit and retain more caregivers. Human service committees in both chambers have crafted budget bills that aim to boost overall nursing home funding, increase the state’s elderly waiver program, and add grants for critical access nursing homes.
But they vary on how much should go toward each of those spending buckets.
While each plan could offer help to Minnesota nursing homes that are struggling to recruit and retain staff, many in the long term care field say the proposals wouldn’t get to the root of their problems quickly enough to stave off additional bed closures — and for some, shutting their doors altogether.
“We are living with the virus in our settings, still,” Patti Cullen, with the industry group Care Providers of Minnesota, told House lawmakers last month. “This virus decimated our workforce, our reserves, and the spirit of many of our caregivers, and it’s difficult to understand with this surplus why we’re forgotten.”
Nielsen and Masloski said lawmakers should prioritize funding that can boost their recruitment efforts right away. Nielsen said he’s offered sign-on and retention bonuses, tuition assistance, loan forgiveness and free temporary housing to keep caregivers on board. But because the nursing home reimbursement formula is set by the state, he’s not been able to raise base wages.
“We take care of people. I think that our people deserve to get paid more,” Masloski said. “And we can't do that unless we get some sort of funding mechanism from the state to see an increase in rates. If we had all the money in the world, that money deserves to be paid to these people that have put in this time and have been so dedicated to these older folks.”
Rep. Mohamud Noor, a Minneapolis DFLer who chairs the House Human Services Committee, said the proposals are a first step toward stabilizing long-term care settings. Before his committee advanced its omnibus budget bill last month, he said additional funding for elderly waiver grants and workforce recruitment programs could turn the tide.
“The investments that we’re making here today will also help lift up some of the challenges they’re facing,” Noor said. “This is a good day to say, ‘we are starting to tackle the challenges faced by long-term care.’”
In the Senate, Human Services Committee Chair John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, has pushed back on the budget target allotted for his area by DFL legislative leaders and the governor. And he said he would aim to increase the total increase in human services funding by $1.3 billion in the next two years and $1.55 billion in the two that follow.
“We need an additional $570 million in order to really do it,” he said.
Republicans at the Capitol have echoed those calls and said that DFLers should re-write their budget bills to put more toward nursing homes.
“We can’t miss the mark this session. We can’t because it’s going to affect everybody,” Republican Rep. Natalie Zeleznikar of Fredenberg Township said during a recent hearing. “This budget is underfunded to accomplish what the needs are for these seniors and we have to find a solution. And I sure hope we can.”
Lawmakers have a few weeks left to reach a resolution. The deadline to adjourn the session is May 22.
Masloski, with Boundary Waters Care Center, said their decisions could mean a lot to rural Minnesota communities.
“It's a different ballgame for us rural facilities than it is for those that have, you know, 567 different options in a 10-mile radius elsewhere,” he said.
“I've worked here for years, and I've always said that I'll go down with this place if I have to. But I so wholeheartedly believe that we need some help,” Masloski continued. “Anything that the legislators can do will go a long way to keeping these small towns whole.”
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