LaSalle County — The LaSalle County Nursing Home reported improved occupancy and finances at the Jan. 13 meeting of the county’s Nursing Home and VAC committee, and its administrator asked the committee to pursue funding and staffing changes to support continued operations.

"We reached 70 residents for 2 days in December, which was huge for us," administrator Alyanna said, summarizing December activity that included six admissions and 12 discharges. She told the committee the facility’s census that day was 67 residents and said the current mix favors long‑term custodial residents rather than short‑term rehabilitation patients.

Alyanna said revenue in December rose by "almost 95,000" while expenses declined; she reported a cash position of "2,000,009." She attributed part of the expense improvement to reducing agency RN hours and substituting LPN hours where appropriate. On quality measures, Alyanna reported seven falls in December (one skin tear), eight pressure ulcers treated, five hospital readmissions (all returned to the facility), and an average of 12 infections including ESBL cases. She said the nursing home remains on a conditional license and that plans of correction and audits are ongoing.

The administrator requested permission to seek a $7,000 grant to commission local Ottawa artist Beth Hawkins to create framed watercolors depicting county landmarks for display in hallways. "I'm seeking a $7,000 grant," she said, describing themes such as Starved Rock, Buffalo Rock and a veterans hallway eagle. Committee members asked for a portfolio of the artist's work; members suggested staff (finance director Davis Sweeney or Deputy Auditor Wendy Renteria) look for grant opportunities and return with samples next month.

Alyanna also asked the committee to approve recruiting a staffing coordinator, a position she said already exists in the budget. She described the role as central to scheduling, mandation tracking and union compliance and said current coverage by the HR assistant and medical records coordinator leads to roughly 30 hours of overtime per month between two staff. "This role...is very needed," she said, and estimated the coordinator would manage roughly 26 daily positions out of about 60 nursing‑department employees.

After questions about whether the role could be part time and whether it would reduce agency use, Chair Kathy Bright moved to send the staffing‑coordinator request to the county Salary & Labor committee for review; Ron Blue seconded the motion and the committee voted in favor to refer it. The transcript does not record a full roll‑call tally.

On staffing structure, Alyanna proposed eliminating the clinical liaison position and replacing it with an assistant director of nursing (ADON). She said the clinical liaison duties (medication audits, MDS support and coordination with psychiatry) are currently covered by admissions and nursing staff and argued that an ADON would provide clinical leadership and succession coverage for the director of nurses. Alyanna said the ADON salary would likely be "between 75,000 and 80,000." Committee members asked for a written job description and agreed to add the proposal to next month’s agenda for further review and referral to Salary & Labor as appropriate.

Other operational notes included open vacancies (Alyanna listed eight RN openings, two LPNs, four CNAs and other support roles), a turnover rate she said was about 3.8 percent, and ongoing work to go paperless and strengthen daily huddles and documentation. Alyanna reported a recent mediation settlement of $5,000 related to staff training on discriminatory hiring practices.

The committee moved to accept the nursing home report and approved the VAC and nursing home bills presented (the transcript records 'Aye' votes but does not provide a complete named tally). Next steps: staff will gather the artist portfolio and grant options for the art project, prepare a job description for the ADON proposal, and Salary & Labor will review the staffing‑coordinator recruitment request.

Meeting adjourned.