Major changes at Pocopson? Be careful what you wish for…

I read Daily Local reporter Michael Rellahan’s account of Monday night’s meeting at Downingtown East High concerning the Pocopson Home. Hundreds turned out again in the second public meeting concerning the future of the facility.

Chester County Commissioner Ryan Costello told the large audience that the purpose of the meetings was to educate and not to scare anyone. Apparently many of the Pocopson residents are terrified that the place they call home will be or may be turned over to a private operation.

However the commissioner (I assume acting as the spokesman for all commissioners) made some pretty hefty promises and made some bold statements I’m not sure he’s really ready to back up. And if he is prepared to do just that and the county can save money and maintain operational success then by all means go for it.

But a word or two of caution here. Again, I don’t see how the promises can be made.

For example:

1)       “I am not interested in being a part of anything that would involve any of you moving out of your home,” said Costello of the home.

2)      Residents who live there now would not be forced to leave the facility many think of as “home” regardless of what decisions are made as to its ownership.

3)      Costello and his fellow commissioners tried to assure the employees at Pocopson that they were grateful for the job they have done caring for the residents there and were not setting out to deprive them of pay or benefits by selling the facility to a private owner.

4)      The commissioners, after hearing from their consultant about costs associated with Pocopson and possible revenue enhancement, also told those attending the meeting that no bids had been solicited for the facility and no timetable was set for a decision on its long-range future. It may come months from now or not at all.

I suppose my cynical nature makes me wonder how the promise can be made that if a private enterprise takes over what would prevent them from moving residents out? What agreements would be in place to stop that?

As to the employees, again, how can such guarantees be made as to pay, benefits, continued employment?

And if the facility is such a drain, would it not be prudent TO set a timetable for a decision?

According to Rellahan’s story, Pocopson faces questions about its future because revenues from the Medicare and Medicaid patients it serves are dropping while capital costs are looming. The county, which once saw the home providing revenue, now sees operating losses at the facility, according to a study completed by a King of Prussia-based health care consultant – Premier.

The story said that while less boisterous than the first in the series of public meetings on the home’s future that the commissioners have promised held two weeks ago, the crowd Monday for the most part was still solidly behind the notion that Pocopson should remain in public hands and not those of a private operator.

“I think that privatization, although no one wants to see their taxes increased, could be disastrous for the residents and the staff,” said Ann Bird of West Pikeland.

“I think that Pocopson should remain a county-owned facility, just as we control our roads and our bridges and our liquor stores,” said Frank Moon of Pennsbury. “We need to be able to find taxpayer dollars to support these 300 people.”

I would love to speak further to Helen Webber of East Goshen who said she hoped the commissioners would decide to sell the facility and stop providing long-term care. “I don’t know why the county should be in this business,” adding that she saw no reason why taxpayers should be asked to fund Pocopson.

I guess I would ask her if she feels confident that when she reaches her “golden years” and possible needs somewhere to go to live out her remaining years she has a place to go. If she does, then she’s very lucky.

Ms. Webber – not everyone is that lucky.

Chairman Terence Farrell at one point asked Moon, who spoke critically about property taxes he paid to the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, whether he would be willing to support a hypothetical 3 percent or 4 percent tax increase to keep Pocopson in county hands.

“Yes, I would,” Moon said, to applause.

Premier officials also reviewed new programs that could be initiated at Pocopson — such as dialysis treatment or short-term rehabilitation care — that would provide new revenue for the facility. However, some of those carried with them capital costs that would be added to the $6 million in building costs the home is estimated to need over the next five years.

The commissioners said that they were still studying the details of Premier’s evaluation, and that the next public meeting would focus on its assessment of three possible alternatives to keeping the facility run as it is now — transforming Pocopson to a nonprofit corporation overseen by the commissioners, leasing it to a private operator or selling it outright.

Deep down in my gut, I still get the sense that the Helen Webbers of the world – along with some members of the county government – see Pocopson as a burden we don’t need, a unnecessary evil, something we can do without.

That is until they themselves end up with nowhere to go and no family to lean on.

Folks, be careful for what you wish for…

– Andy Hachadorian

Thousands of votes say Chester County needs to keep Pocopson as is … attend tonight’s meeting

A little more than five hours from now it’s likely that the Downingtown East High School will be packed to the walls with people.

It won’t be for a play, a musical or an athletic event.

What it will be is another public session/meeting concerning the future of the Pocopson Home, the county-operated facility for the elderly. Following a recent meeting where nearly 300 people attended, tonight’s meeting is the second to listen to the public as to the future of Pocopson.

The debate concerns whether or not Chester County could, should or can continue to operate the facility based on current and anticipated government funding from the likes of Medicare and Medicaid. The commissioners are considering the potential and future of keeping Pocopson under the eye of the county.

At the first meeting, dozens of people including those who reside at Pocopson as well those who work there pleaded to the commissioners to keep it under county operations. Many referred to the facility as the “jewel of Chester County.”

Last week the Daily Local News published a coupon online and in the newspaper asking people to make a choice and let us know their feelings.

Since then we have received thousands of coupons from people all over the county. As of this minute, there are two people so far out of the thousands who voted who feel giving up operations of Pocopson is a good idea.

Of course the critics will say it’s stuffing the ballot box. However, there is equal opportunity to stuff it from both sides of the argument. And that didn’t happen.

Sometimes government needs to do what it thinks is right and sometimes the government needs to listen to its citizens. I feel this is one of those times.

Apparently so do thousands of others. The question is will the commissioners listen? Or is the deck already stacked and the decision made?

Attend tonight’s meeting and let them know how you feel.

– Andy Hachadorian

Is there a real solution to the college town dilemma?

The Morning Magazine crew of WCHE and I had a very interesting discussion this morning. As many of you know, I am a regular featured guest on WCHE each Thursday morning for about 20 minutes.

Today the discussion surrounded the continuing saga of West Chester University, its students both on and off campus, drinking, fights, other assorted bad behaviors and of course, landlords. It also included a visit from Jeff Stein, owner of a private security firm.

A couple of months ago West Chester agreed to begin a pilot program with the university in which the private security firm helped to patrol some of the neighborhoods surrounding West Chester University. The patrols were done Thursday through Saturday from 10 at night until 3 in the morning.

According to Daily Local News reporter Jeremy Gerrard’s story, Stein said the teams are strategically placed on South Walnut Street and Magnolia Street throughout the evening and eventually make their way to high-traffic areas like the corner of South Matlack and East Nields streets.

According to Stein, one of the biggest problems they noticed was the excessive noise coming from individuals yelling up and down the streets. Stein said most of the people they encountered were respectful when confronted and asked to quiet down, and a few would go on to thank them.

 

“We’re trying to educate,” Stein said. He also noted their presence was helpful in discouraging a few fights from happening and they did report some instances of vandalism to the police who were able to follow up with several arrests and citations.

 

Stein is a West Chester graduate and it’s his firm that is doing the patrolling. Now I will admit I wasn’t at the meeting in which Stein spoke to the committee but it seems that he is making the point that what his firm is doing is proving to be beneficial it remains tough to quantify and being a businessman, he certainly would be presenting an analysis that shows the need for his services. Not that I doubt his honesty but a deal with the university and/or the borough would certainly be in his interest. I think I would be more convinced if there was more science to it. Chart the borough into areas and map out the problems and take a more definitive look. Hey, that’s just me talking.

But back to this morning and here’s what we talked about: student housing, student populations, landlords and their responsibilities, drinking, university policies.

Here in a nutshell is where I am coming from on the whole issue of West Chester University and its relationship to and with the borough. And I am a WCU graduate myself.

In my opinion, there are too many students at the university. The university security team like most at other college campuses is small and not meant to be the SWAT team. They are there to handle minor issues so when you are dealing with thousands of college kids, it’s a daunting task – at best. So perhaps the university needs to take a look at its enrollment figures. Of course not accepting students is not good business for the college either.

In my opinion, when you have a college town, the fewer bars and taverns, the better. Unfortunately to some, downtown West Chester has more than its shares of places to dine – and drink. So that just makes it more likely that there will be alcohol-related issues. But again, who are we to tell businessmen and women NOT to open up an establishment?

In my opinion, the university should require freshmen and sophomores to reside on campus – period. Figure out a way to make it work with your student population and then insist on either student Resident Advisors (RAs) or hire adults to reside on campus as RAs to enforce rules such as curfews, drinking violations, etc. Once you start making students aware of the consequences, the more likely the problems will decrease.

In my opinion, landlords cannot be expected to do more than try and rent to those who seem responsible, require hefty security deposits, work strong language into leases than include severe penalties – including eviction and university notification – for bad behavior, require parental notifications and some responsibility for poor behavior and other kinds of tough rules. Despite the WCHE discussions today, the landlord can’t be expected to sit on his property and babysit 24 hours a day. And to be honest, the nicest kids sober can become the biggest knuckleheads when drunk. Heck, even serial killers can seem like nice people!

In my opinion, money needs to come from somewhere to both hire additional campus police as well as borough police whose main jobs would be to tackle the issue of student behaviors. Once the word gets out that you’re going to pay a steep price to bad behaviors – including alcohol-related problems – then the problems are likely to decrease. I see that as a better solution than hiring a firm that by its own admission is a glorified Town Watch group. To be realistic, though, the problems will never disappear. There are just too many kids with their own issues and baggage and personalities to be able to be held accountable to a landlord 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Overall, I just think the parties aren’t taking responsibility or being realistic for what’s happening and that includes the university, the borough, the police department, the landlords, the students and the parents.

We are talking about thousands of kids out on their own – many for the first time. Do we really think that isn’t an issue? And really, showing films or having discussions on drinking, etc.? We’re kidding ourselves if we think a movie means a hill of beans to some of these kids. It’s likely they have been messing around with alcohol – or worse – way before they arrived in West Chester.

So is the answer to just give up? No. But I do think we need to stop tap dancing around the issues and just simply blaming the police, the kids, the landlords or the university. Everyone has a hand in the problem so therefore everyone has to have a hand in the solution.

But it seems like we’ve been talking about this problem forever. Can we actually do something meaningful and do it now? Thanks.

– Andy Hachadorian

Michael Rellahan’s full story on the next Pocopson Home meeting

Second meeting scheduled on future of Pocopson Home

By MICHAEL P. RELLAHAN
mrellahan@dailylocal.com
WEST CHESTER – Chester County commissioners scheduled the second in a series of public meetings

Wednesday, May 9,2012

Joanne Jones, center in green jacket, President of Premier Healthcare Resources speaks to over 300 people who filled a conference room in the new Chester County Administrative Office Building last week to talk about the fate of the Pocopson Home. Staff photo by Tom Kelly IV

The session comes after nursing home providers across the state met with legislators in Harrisburg Tuesday to protest the proposed 4 percent cut in Medicaid payments included in Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget. Chester County officials anticipate that the 4 percent cut could mean a loss of around $720,000 in payments to Pocopson that county taxpayers would have to make up.

The second meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Monday, May 14, at the Downingtown High School East Auditorium, 50 Devon Drive in Uwchlan.

With state and federal reimbursements projected to decline, and operating and capital costs continuing to grow, the commissioners appointed Premier Health Resources from King of Prussia last year to produce a strategic plan for Pocopson by evaluating its needs and analyzing future costs.

Premier found that there will continue to be a need for senior care facilities in the county, and added that Pocopson provided high-quality care for its residents, including those that have limited funds for care.

The report identified three possible alternatives to operate Pocopson as it has been since it opened in 1951: to transfer its operations to a non-profit corporation, under which the county would continue to fund all operating losses; lease it to a private, for-profit operator, under which the county would continue to exert some role in Pocopson; or sell the facility outright to a private entity.

Commissioners have stressed that they have not made a final decision on the matter, saying they wanted to receive input from county residents and taxpayers about the future of the facility.

At the public meeting held on May 2 in the commissioners’ board room, those who spoke expressed strong support for keeping Pocopson in county hands and not selling it to a private operator who those in attendance felt would not give the same quality of care.

A strong presence from those who oppose any sale of Pocopson is expected as well for the meeting at Downingtown East. On Tuesday, e-mail messages urging attendance at the meeting were circulated with the message “Show Your Support For Pocopson Home.”

Pocopson is the county’s long-term health care complex, offering care for adults of all ages as well as professional medical, nursing and rehabilitation services. The 275-bed facility is certified by both the Medicare and Medicaid programs and private-paying residents are also accepted for admission at the home.

In Harrisburg about 650 caregivers gathered Tuesday to talk with legislators about the financial situation confronting Pennsylvania’s nursing homes. They asked legislators to restore the 4 percent Medicaid cut included in the proposed state budget for nursing homes so that quality care can continue to be delivered, according to a news release.

The caregivers gave each legislator a copy of a petition signed by more than 12,000 nursing home residents, families, staff and concerned citizens. The petition calls on legislators to preserve care for the elderly by restoring the Medicaid funds.

Because of recent Medicare cuts, nursing homes have laid off workers, reduced benefits, canceled renovations and upgrades to older facilities and delayed the purchase of equipment that could enhance patient care. With another 4 percent cut at the state level, many nursing home officials said they will have no choice but to turn away some seniors on Medicaid because they simply can’t afford to care for them.

Pennsylvania nursing homes would lose $102 million in state and federal Medicaid funding if the proposed state spending plan is enacted. Because Medicaid is a state-federal match program, the $46.4 million cut in the Governor’s proposed budget would trigger an additional $55 million in federal Medicaid cuts.

Even without this cut, nursing homes are already under-reimbursed an average of $19.23 per Medicaid resident per day; a 27 percent increase from last year’s shortfall of $15.13 per Medicaid resident per day. Two-thirds of all nursing home residents are on Medicaid.

Another Pocopson hearing set for Monday, May 14

This press release was sent to the Daily Local News. And please keep your comments coming regarding the Pocopson Home.

Chester County Commissioners schedule second ublic meeting to discuss Pocopson Home
Meeting set for Monday, May 14th at 7:00 p.m. at Downingtown High School East

WEST CHESTER _ The Chester County Board of Commissioners has scheduled the second in a series of public meetings to review and discuss the findings of a strategic plan on the County’s Pocopson Home.

The second meeting will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 14, 2012, at the Downingtown High School East Auditorium, 50 Devon Drive, Exton, PA.

With state and federal reimbursements projected to decline, and operating and capital costs continuing to grow, the Board commissioned a strategic plan on Pocopson Home, to evaluate and analyze the role of Pocopson Home.

The project has been completed by Premier Health Resources of King of Prussia, PA.

Pocopson Home is Chester County’s long term health care complex, offering care for adults of all ages as well as professional medical, nursing and rehabilitation services.  The 275-bed facility is certified by both the Medicare and Medicaid programs and private-paying residents are also accepted for admission at the home.

 

More on the state of affairs at the Pocopson Home

I had an interesting visit last week from Chester County Commissioner Ryan Costello.

Out of the blue I received a phone call from someone who I believe was his administrative assistant or someone else who works for him. The word was that Ryan – or rather Commissioner Costello – wanted to discuss my blog post in which I took the position that the operation of the Pocopson Home should not be changed, that is, take it out of the hands of the county and into private hands.

Now Commissioner Costello was cordial enough but I couldn’t help thinking that he was visiting to give me the hard sell on why the county needs to get out of the business of operating a home for the elderly. I have been at this newspaper since 2005 and this visit from him was a first.

I listened to the reasons he gave for wanting to present his side of the story: declining funding from governments higher than county level, i.e., state, federal, as well as declining funding from things like Medicare and Medicaid. Hey, I am well aware of those funding cuts. And I also understand unfunded mandates which I got the feeling Commissioner Costello wanted to call the public’s push for Chester County to keep funding Pocopson.

We went back and forth on the issues of government run versus private operations of things like trash hauling, supplying county government with things like paper towels and soap. But we’re not talking desks, chairs, paper towels or soap here. We are talking about people, elderly people who in lots of cases are not able to live anywhere else.

For a lot of elderly people, this is their only lifeline. And I told him that I based my blog opinion on the fact that I had personal experience in homes for the elderly with my own mom. Finding a facility is probably one of the most difficult things I have had to do as a caregiver. It is draining on more than a few levels.

And I in my own search visited government operated and private facilities. And my own conclusion was that those facilities operated by a government – even if only in the minds of the residents and their families – gave people more comfort than a private operation. The theory is that residents and their families at least feel like there is a direct line for concerns and/or complaints.

The example I gave the commissioner was that if you deal out a contract for trash hauling to a private vendor and you’re unhappy with the results, you simply change it up the next year or when the contract is expired. What do you do if your relative resides in a facility operated privately and there are issues? Well, I can tell you from personal experience that you are in for a long, rough, bumpy road.

And as for inspections? We all know there are rarely – if ever – surprise inspections so those inspections are really quite bogus.

My opinion – and only my opinion – is that Commissioner Costello feels that operating Pocopson is somewhat of a nuisance, a burden on the overall taxpayer in the county. That’s the impression he left me with.

My gut tells me that he’d push to get out its operation. After all, dealing with a home for the elderly comes with a lot of baggage. There are lots of personnel issues, overhead, complaints, and on and on.

Now he assured me that no decisions have been made and that the county is looking at all options moving forward. There are no changes happening tomorrow. But I also got a message loud and clear that just because nearly 300 people showed up to voice their concerns doesn’t mean the county isn’t going to make a change either.

Right now that answer doesn’t exist. However if I was a betting man – and I am – my bet would be that the county will get out of the business of running the Pocopson Home. And in my opinion as I stated in the previous blog post, that will prove to be a bad choice.

While government doesn’t belong in a lot of things, government also shouldn’t abandon its citizens, many of which spent years working and paying taxes to the government.

Chester County needs to continue to stand by their elderly residents, at least until a proven, slam-dunk option is presented. To me, that hasn’t happened yet.

And I’m sure I will be getting another telephone call from the commissioner or his assistant. And like I told him last week, he’s welcome to drop by any time. However, I know where I stand. I’ve looked into the eyes of lots of elderly residents and there were times I felt pretty bad with the looks that came back.

Is that what we really want here? I don’t think so.

– Andy Hachadorian

It’s not time to make changes at Pocopson

When’s the last time 200 people showed up for a government meeting in Chester County? Even the sale of county buildings didn’t seem to generate a number that high.

Well on Wednesday night that was the case as a couple hundred people showed up to express their concern about the possible sale or otherwise changes at the Pocopson Home. Daily Local reporter Michael Rellahan noted that speaker after speaker, many of whose parents or other family members are current residents at the home, spoke of their love for the facility.

Apparently the concern is that once a facility like Pocopson would be turned over to a private operator the quality of care would decrease. The operation by the county makes it more accountable to the strict rules of the long-term facility.

But like other operations of the county, expenses are getting out of hand and there needs to be a solution. A health care consultant presented potential options for Pocopson. Premier president Joanne Jones said there was some possibility that Pocopson could increase its revenue by dedicating a portion of the facility to a short-term rehab unit, in which patients would come and get well and go home. That would come at the expense of long-term care, she indicated.

In addition, there are $6 million in capital costs at the aging facility that Pocopson Administrator Alan Larson said could not be put off indefinitely, such as upgrading heating and ventilation systems.

The options that Jones presented to the commissioners in the report for the future of Pocopson included setting it up as a nonprofit enterprise, still overseen by the county but operated by a semi-independent board of directors; leasing it to a third party; and selling it outright.

Each option had drawbacks. A nonprofit operation would mean that new employees would not be part of the county pension system, while leasing or selling the facility would mean its mission of care for needy residents would not necessarily carry on.

Jones did not offer a recommendation on what the best option would be, but noted there was an “undeniable need” for nursing care in the county that would be even greater in the future.

For anyone who has had to deal with placing an elderly loved one in a long-term care facility, it can be gut-wrenching.  And I have seen both sides of the care issue. I have visited the government-operated facilities and the private ones. I would definitely agree that the privately-run facilities don’t cut it as well as those with oversight of the government. And while I am not one to push for the government to stick its nose into things, this is the exception.

My mother lived in a privately-run facility. Clothing, jewelry, shoes, you name it and it disappeared. The worst was the theft of her engagement ring. And there’s not much you can do.

So I can feel the pain of those concerned about any potential Pocopson change.

According to Mike Rellahan’s story, Commissioner Ryan Costello, speaking before Jones’ presentation, said the three commissioners all recognized the place Pocopson plays in the county’s history and its community.

“It is a special place and it is a valued place,” Costello said. “We as commissioners realize that. But we as commissioners have to do our best to make sure costs are as low as possible. We need to look at everything.”

Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Kathi Cozzone, in thanking the crowd for coming to the meeting, promised that it would be only the first time the commissioners would hold a meeting to get input on the options. “I recognize that this is an important service that we provide to the community,” she said.

Among those who spoke at the two-hour-long session were two of the residents at Pocopson, who objected to any notion that the system should be changed.

“I feel this is just about money,” said Betty Decker, who spoke from her wheelchair. “I love Pocopson. I don’t need to move out. We don’t need changes.”

“Pocopson is very valuable to everyone who is there,” echoed Nanette Story. “We don’t want any changes.” The commissioners said another meeting would be scheduled sometime in the coming month.

I urge anyone who is concerned to keep the pressure on the county to retain the control over Pocopson. I believe any privatization would be a mistake. Anyone who disagrees should just talk to those of us who have had to place our elderly into these facilities.

– Andy Hachadorian