PRIVATIZE THE GLENDALE HOME! Let one of the other nursing facilities buy it. And Sal, I've said before that you are clearly a rep, 'trying' to speaklike a liberal dem. You are hoping that we will 'plead' your (rep) case for you. You must be pretty close to these dems...cause you seem to know just what they will say to argue a liberal point. Hmmmm...strange!
In any case..get rid of the damn glendale home! And while you're at it...check out how many are 'really' poor in glendale. Check out the ones that have put their money and assets into their kids names so they can get a free ride from the taxpayers. I'm sure 'you' could supply us that info. That is if the dems will let you.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
thats terrible you would say this kind of thing, sad indeed about the elderly who are poor and alone. you ought to go and see them and you will then change the tune you sing about the plight they live in
you ought to go and see them and you will then change the tune you sing about the plight they live in
I have gone there. It's just another taxpaid government program. Perhaps if NYS and the local counties didn't tax the heck out of us...people could pay their own way. And if people didn't 'hide' their money....the taxpayer wouldn't have to pay for their care.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Perhaps if sooooooooo much money did not go into career welfare programs there would be enough money to run a nursing home that would provide a high quality of care for our elderly. Perhaps those who are on welfare for more than a couple years with no intention of going to work should be set free from the program. Perhaps those who do not make an effort to speak the language of the United States of America......English, by the way, should be set free from the program. They will not be able to function if they can't speak the language. Then, just maybe there will be enough funds to provide for the elderly of our community. What the hell? 200 measely beds for the old people and how many thousands sucking the system dry through welfare benefits. My opinion may not be popular, but guess what? It happens to be mine.
Rene...I believe your opinion is that of many....including mine.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Schenectady County was in big financial trouble even before the state cut local aid in this year’s budget, and it’s in even bigger trouble now. One of the reasons for the fiscal distress is the continuing subsidy it pays to operate Glendale Nursing Home, around $7 million in recent years. County legislators had plans to reduce the subsidy a bit, to $5.2 million, by building a new, smaller home and getting better reimbursement rates, but further cuts by the state made in August will actually raise the red ink well beyond $7 million next year. And it will only get worse in years to come as costs continue to rise and a new, one-time infusion of federal dollars ends. Legislators should at least be talking about selling, privatizing or closing the facility, as other counties have done with their public nursing homes and Suffolk is now considering doing with its, but there’s no sign of it. They sound as if they are willing to continuing paying this amount, or whatever it takes, indefinitely, to keep Glendale going. The people want it, they say. Maybe. But maybe it depends on how you ask the question. Would the people still want it if they understood that 11 percent of the county’s entire property tax levy goes to subsidizing this place? Would they still want it if they knew there was space in local private nursing homes or other facilities for Glendale’s residents — which isn’t the case now but could be if there were a planned transition? Remember, this isn’t one of those mandated costs that county legislators complain about being saddled with by the state or federal government. They could get the county out of the nursing home business if they wanted to. Granted, this is a complicated issue. Public nursing homes see themselves as a safety net for difficult, indigent patients that private homes might be reluctant to take. But nearly all private homes have significant numbers of Medicaid patients these days. And they can still make a profit because they don’t give the very generous wage and benefit packages that public nursing homes do, complete with things like longevity adjustments (which alone will cost the county more than half a million this year). In all, $20 million of the home’s $28.7 million budget goes for personnel costs ($11.3 million for salary and $8.7 million for benefits). That’s slightly less than previous years, reflecting a reduction in staff that followed the Berger Commission requirement to reduce the home’s population. The county has already been limiting admissions to comply with that requirement, with those people presumably finding other places to stay. Before building a new $51 million home, as it plans to do, the county needs to get together with all the other nursing facilities in the county, and neighboring counties, and explore all the options.
Legislators should at least be talking about selling, privatizing or closing the facility, as other counties have done with their public nursing homes and Suffolk is now considering doing with its, but there’s no sign of it.
Quoted Text
Public nursing homes see themselves as a safety net for difficult, indigent patients that private homes might be reluctant to take. But nearly all private homes have significant numbers of Medicaid patients these days. And they can still make a profit because they don’t give the very generous wage and benefit packages that public nursing homes do, complete with things like longevity adjustments (which alone will cost the county more than half a million this year). In all, $20 million of the home’s $28.7 million budget goes for personnel costs ($11.3 million for salary and $8.7 million for benefits).
Now this is what I was talking about. Why aren't they even entertaining this option?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
The county should have a fire sale...on anything it can. Sell the nursing home so that a private businessperson (or group) can come in and fix it up. The only way for something to improve is to get LESS government involved in it. Take away government ownership. Take away government regulations. Then, it'll start turning around.
The county should have a fire sale...on anything it can. Sell the nursing home so that a private businessperson (or group) can come in and fix it up. The only way for something to improve is to get LESS government involved in it. Take away government ownership. Take away government regulations. Then, it'll start turning around.
In a nutshell, I couldn't agree with you more. I have had residents call me and ask when the town was going to start collecting garbage rather then having to pay a private contractor. My response to them is....be careful what you ask for, if local government was to take over the role of trash removal it would be less efficient and MUCH more costly then paying for the service privately
I think that the residents wanted the town to pick up the garbage at no charge to them Rene, some people just don't seem to realize that there's no free lunch the money must come from some place and that would be higher taxes.
I think that the residents wanted the town to pick up the garbage at no charge to them Rene, some people just don't seem to realize that there's no free lunch the money must come from some place and that would be higher taxes.
You are absolutely correct. They think it is an ENTITLEMENT! Someone HAS to pay for these things. And it's us!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I read with interest your Sept. 14 editorial [“Explore all options with Glendale Home”] on Glendale Nursing Home and found one sentence particularly disturbing, even somewhat callous. You mention that the county has already been limiting admissions to Glendale, “with those people presumably finding other places to stay.” I would like to know where “those people” are finding a place? As far as I am aware, the 50-mile rule, which existed even before the Berger Commission, is still in effect. This means “those people” may be as far away as Little Falls, where my neighbor was sent two years ago. Sending elderly patients far away from family and friends, often elderly themselves, is not an acceptable policy and causes added stress at a difficult time. The current price of gas is also a consideration. I had a pleasant association with Glendale when my husband was there and would like to see Glendale survive. If this is not possible, some way must be found to provide adequate beds in the immediate area, so that the 50-mile rule will no longer be applied. SHIRLEY THOMAS Scotia
With county budget season just around the corner, legislators are looking ahead and hoping the state can offer some relief.
The Schenectady County Legislature voted unanimously, Tuesday, Sept. 9, to request that the state Legislature restore funding for mandates handed down to the county, specifically funding to continue services like the Glendale Nursing Home in Schenectady.
“There is a significant shift in who is paying for government,” said Legislator Karen Johnson, D-Schenectady. “The public needs to understand the difficult position this puts us in.”
She said the county is required to levy taxes, but the state places extensive mandates on the county, which raises their budget.
Minority Leader Robert Farley, R-Glenville, said that while he supports the resolution, the county does have to “tighten their belt” as well.
He said the state is facing a budget crisis too, and while they should not “push the deficit downhill,” the county needs to look at ways to cut spending on non-mandated items and see how they can operate mandated programs more efficiently.
“It’s a combined effort,” he said. “We need to have Albany be a partner with us.”
“Our State Legislators have expressed their concern regarding the burden of high property taxes on our residents, yet their recent actions would result in a shift of costs from the state to county government,” said Legislator Martin Finn, D-Glenville, who introduced the legislation. “The taxpayers of Schenectady County can no longer bear the burden of providing state mandated services without sufficient reimbursement to cover the costs.”
Legislators said enacted cuts total more than $1.2 million in the 2008 budget and $2.9 million in 2009.
Included in these cuts are $452,000 to the Glendale Nursing Home in 2008 and $1.6 million in 2009, reduced Medicaid rates equivalent to $130,000 less reimbursements in 2008 and $300,000 less in 2009.
Farley said the nursing home is not a mandated program, and therefore the state is not at fault for cutting this funding.
However, Legislator Vincent DiCerbo, D-Schenectady, said, “Don’t tell me that a nursing home is not a mandated cost.”
He said if the issue was to come before the board, the Legislature would support keeping the nursing home.
He said the counties need to come together on these mandates to combat the state.
“We do this on a regular basis,” DiCerbo said of battling state mandates. “The fact is, this state has spent way, way beyond its means.”
Another unfunded mandate the county is outraged about is the fact that the state does not fully fund Medicaid. Although, the program is administered at the county level it is mandated by the state.
“We are one of the only states where counties still pay part of the cost of Medicaid,” said Chair Susan Savage.
The Legislature plans to send a copy of the resolution to state officials including Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Centre, Sen. Hugh Farley, R-Schenectady; and Assemblymen George Amedore, R- Rotterdam, and James Tedisco, R-Schenectady.
Logged
