As Population Ages, Communities Face Tough Choices On Supporting Local Nursing Homes
Some jurisdictions are opting to use general fund money to cover costs for necessary services, while others are selling the facilities to private companies. Also, the top complaint among nursing home residents is eviction.
The Wall Street Journal:
Municipalities Grapple With Whether Nursing Homes Should Be Taxpayer-Funded
The 11,000 year-round residents of this summer colony off Cape Cod are confronting an emotional question: whether the island is a place where they can grow old. Nantucket, a ritzy vacation destination whose permanent community is of more modest means, has one nursing home: Our Island Home, a 45-bed facility that is owned and run by the town and with a history that goes back to 1822. It sits on prime town-owned real-estate where its residents can watch boats on Nantucket Harbor. But it runs an annual deficit of about $3 million, needs major repairs and is pressuring the town’s coffers at a time when Nantucket needs other infrastructure to accommodate growth. (Levitz, 5/28)
NPR:
States Attempt To Rein In Nursing Home Evictions
People complain about nursing homes a lot: the food's no good or there's not enough staff, and so on. It's a long list. But the top complaint, according to the federal government, is eviction from a nursing home. Technically, it's known as involuntary discharge, and in 2015 it brought in more than 9,000 complaints. Now, a couple of states are looking for ways to hold nursing homes accountable for unnecessary evictions. (Jaffe, 5/26)
