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County officials discuss nursing‑home operations, respite care and wanderer protections at Hyder and Riverside
Summary
County staff updated commissioners on patient counts, staffing constraints, recent behavior‑unit rate changes, and plans to add door alarms and other security for residents who wander; discussion covered capacity, respite scheduling, and recent use of drones and cameras to locate a missing resident.
County officials reviewed operational updates from county-run nursing facilities, including bed counts, staffing constraints, changes to behavioral-unit rates, and steps to expand respite care while responding to safety concerns for residents who wander.
Staff reported that the county’s nursing facility census is roughly 170 patients and that a behavior‑unit bed recently opened after a long‑term resident died. Staffing improvements were noted but officials said staffing levels are not yet sufficient to safely reopen an additional 42‑bed unit. County staff said they are avoiding extensive use of temporary pool staff because of cost and continuity concerns.
The county also described respite care demand and scheduling. Officials said most hospices coordinate respite stays days to weeks in advance, permitting the facility to reserve beds; staff said respite stays produce favorable margins because hospice covers some medication costs. Staff described plans to expand respite capacity but noted some limitations: a handful of prospective respite patients are “wanderers” who require secure units or door alarms. The county said Hyder currently lacks a security system and some patient rooms provide direct exterior access; staff are scheduling an installation of alarms and other security measures and said they have been in weekly contact with the vendor.
Speakers recounted a recent missing‑person incident in which a resident walked off a nonsecure unit at night. Staff used recorded exterior camera footage and heat‑seeking drones to narrow search areas and located the resident within hours; the resident was later moved to a secure unit. County officials said recorded camera footage and targeted drone searches were helpful in locating the resident and that they now plan to prioritize installation of door alarms and other security measures recommended in a facility assessment.
Financially, staff reported a $45‑per‑day increase approved for the behavioral unit rate and said that change has been incorporated into the budget. Officials emphasized the need to stabilize staffing before reopening additional units and said they will continue to seek admissions from area hospitals and guardianship processes to fill available beds when feasible.
Ending: County staff said they will continue weekly tracking of the alarm‑installation vendor, bring back a status report when the system is operational, and maintain the current cautious approach to expanding capacity until staffing is sufficient.
