LaSalle County Nursing Home administrators told the committee on Oct. 20 the facility's census stood at 65 and that managers are pursuing repairs, staffing fills and a replacement therapy contractor as the current vendor's extension ends Nov. 30.

The nursing home administrator (name not provided in the transcript) reported four admissions and four discharges in September and said the facility received new referrals following collaboration with a hospice provider. The administrator said the facility recorded 11 falls in September, with one minor and one major injury, and that half the falls occurred around 4 a.m.; staff are considering shifting showers to daytime hours to reduce night-shift risk.

Administrators described several facility repairs they called urgent. During a fire drill the main kitchen fire screen and a large overhead door failed to lower properly; the administrator said both doors need replacement or repair and estimated maximum replacement/installation cost for both at $20,000. Two warped laundry-area doors that separate residents from service areas were quoted at $13,650. A proposed opening in the wall between restorative and therapy — to improve workflow between departments — was estimated at $10,000. The administrator said written proposals will be shared with the committee.

The nursing home also presented two proposals for therapy services as the current provider extended the contract only through Nov. 30. One bidder, Community Physical Therapy (Addison, Ill.), proposed a patient-driven model with a cited per-diem option of $68 and other per-minute/managed-care rates. A second bidder, Renewal Rehab (Lincolnwood, Ill.), listed Medicare-A per-diem rates around $64 and other percent-of-fee and per-minute options. The administrator said she will review the proposals for service fit and return to committee with a recommendation; the committee intends to consider the matter again at its November meeting.

On staffing, the administrator said a full-time midnight CNA has started and a PRN RN is finishing training; the restorative department and therapy positions have had recent hires. The administrator reported no employee incident reports for the month and that survey planning corrections remain implemented while a state survey remains open because some state staff remain furloughed.

The committee approved nursing home bills and accepted the nursing home report at the meeting. Kathy Owens moved to approve the nursing home bills, Nancy Urich seconded; the motion passed. Nancy Urich moved to accept the nursing home report and Kathy Owens seconded; the motion also passed.

Why it matters: The reported facility repairs relate directly to resident safety; the therapy contract selection will affect care delivery and reimbursement rates as the home transitions vendors.