Strafford County delegation debates Riverside nursing home future, data and options

Members of the Strafford County delegation spent the bulk of a recent meeting debating the future of the county-run Riverside nursing home, focusing on current census, state Medicaid funding mechanics and two paths forward: build a new county facility to meet modern standards or phase out the county nursing home and subsidize private placements and alternate housing for seniors.

Delegation members said updated data are needed before the body chooses a course. "The state has yet to give us the three-year rolling average, which makes it very difficult because I don't know what to tell you my Medicaid bill is going to be," a delegation member said, describing delays in receiving the state Medicaid three-year rolling average that counties use to estimate monthly bills beginning July 1. Several members asked staff to compile projections of county population 65 and older and capacity in surrounding counties for the next meeting.

The discussion centered on how many residents Riverside currently serves and how state and federal rules would affect capacity and cost. Delegation members cited an operational census figure of about 170 residents and noted Riverside's licensed capacity of 225 beds. One member warned that meeting current design standards (single-occupancy rooms) would reduce usable capacity substantially; county staff estimated that converting to one…