Some nursing home companies that invested heavily to increase Medicare patient populations now face heavy losses, and some facilities put up for sale last year have halved their asking price, said Joshua Wiener, principal research associate for The Urban Institute, a Washington think tank. All Allen and Whitley county nursing homes are certified to receive either Medicaid, Medicare or both. It's not unusual for a nursing home with a skilled-care unit to get 20 percent to 30 percent of its annual revenue from Medicare, and many Indiana nursing homes have watched that revenue dissolve by 35 percent to 50 percent. Many industry observers expect some relief within a few years, and predict the federal government eventually will shoulder greater responsibility for the quality of care. The idea is to give residents and children opportunities to develop meaningful relationships, said Jim Ransomer, executive director of Peabody.
Residents participate in activities at the child-care center, and children visit with residents.
Because 50 percent of the Peabody children are employees' kids, the center decreases child-care problems, thus lessening staff turnover, Ransomer said. Waning work force Everyone agrees staffing issues are high-priority. The 90 percent turnover rate among certified nursing assistants demands action. I wish administrators could all get together and come up with a pay scale,'' said ombudsman Barile. Job prospects for nursing aides should be good for the year 2006, reports Work Force Development.