On Thursday, August 3rd, I participated in the Annual Golf Tournament for the Three Links Care Center of Northfield. The Tournament is now dedicated in the name of John Falck, who organized this tournament for many years. I played w
ith Dick Daymont (above), his wife Chris, and Stan Hup all of Northfield. We shared dinner with Representative Ray Cox and his wife Ellen.
We are very fortunate to have three skilled nursing homes in Northfield.( The others are the Northfield Retirement Center, and the Northfield Hospital Long Term Care Center.) All provide wonderful care for our senior citizens.
Funding our nursing homes in Minnesota is a challenge. As the “Baby Boom” generation approaches age 70 we will probably see a significant transformation in the way we care for people who need skilled nursing care. Every year, I visit with the nursing home administrators in my Senate District. It has been a struggle financially for many of them. It will be important for the legislature to provide more flexibility to this care industry. If we are to continue with a system of unitary billing, which allows nursing homes to charge private patients only at the same rate as those on public assistance, then we must provide enough public funding to allow our homes to retain their staff and provide quality care.
Other nursing homes in District 25 include: Mala Strana Health Care Center in New Prague, the Lutheran Home in Belle Plaine, Central Health Care Center in Le Center, Minnesota Valley Health Care Center in Le Sueur, Good Samaritan in Waterville and Good Samaritan in Arlington (Sibley County).
This week I was endorsed by Care Providers PAC. This organization is one of the two major organizations representing nursing homes in Minnesota. They have a major lobbying presence in St. Paul. I have worked with them most recently in trying to lower the cost of liability insurance for our nursing homes. Many homes have seen their insurance premiums increase by 100-200% over the past several years, even if they have not had major claims. Insurance premium increases shift funds from other direct care needs, and limit the quality of care that many homes can provide. I’m very please to be given this endorsement. It reflects my commitment to helping our State’s nursing homes thru the transition which will occur during the next 10 years.