Why your votes for Lehigh County commissioners counts: Future of Cedarbrook nursing home

Oct. 30--Nine candidates are running for five seats on the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners. The Morning Call reached out to them with questions on different topics. Today's question centered on Cedarbrook, the county-owned nursing home.

What do you make of Lehigh County's current operation of Cedarbrook?

Democrat Bob Elbich, a retired manufacturing entrepreneur from Weisenberg Township: Lehigh County's Cedarbrook homes comprise a jewel that needs to be protected on behalf of our vulnerable seniors. We have a community obligation to look after the generations that preceded us and made their contributions to Lehigh County. Currently Cedarbrook has a very good four-star rating regarding the care for our seniors, but despite the hard work of our county staff to maintain a high quality of service, the facilities are in dire need of upgrading. After several years of delays by the board majority, we finally have direction to make the necessary improvements, which I applaud and support.

My experiences over 30-plus years of building successful company organizations, dealing with customer, vendor and personnel issues have taught me that the best way to overcome challenges is to first listen and learn. Then analyze the input and develop consensus conclusions for the best path to improvement. Not being an expert in nursing home operations, I would use those experiences as my guide in working towards establishing the necessary action plans to maintain and perhaps improve the quality of services that we provide to our seniors.

Democrat Dave Harrington, a Lower Milford Township immigration attorney: Cedarbrook is a phenomenal resource in our county to those who are in their retirement years. I have seen the reports on Cedarbrook and it has consistently outperformed other retirement homes in other counties. Part of the reason that it gets such high approval is because of the level of staffing available. There are enough nurses, orderlies and support staff to give attention to the folks who call it home.

I would always defend Cedarbrook and ensure that it was not sold off to private companies where profit is the bottom line. The folks living in Cedarbrook helped build our county, and it is our responsibility to give them a clean, dignified and safe facility to enjoy their retirement. Having a board that looks after Cedarbrook will also mean completing projects faster so residents can enjoy their retirement.

The only changes I would advocate for would be regular modifications to keep up with modern medical technology and comfort improvements. When we invest in Cedarbrook, it should be as an investment in our community, and I would oppose any actions to improve only for the purposes of sale. We must protect Cedarbrook for our community.

Democrat Dan Hartzell, an incumbent and a retired Morning Call reporter from South Whitehall Township: I think the operation of the two nursing homes is excellent. Still, the county administration, commissioners and consultants hired to help with this complex, vital enterprise always are looking for ways to improve. For example, we recently decided to return direct administration of the homes to county employees. Consultants were utilized to oversee the day-to-day operation of the homes for about 15 years. The last of those, Allentown-based Good Shepherd, did a good job, but earlier this year declined to renew its contract. The county returned to direct operational control, using consultants with specific areas of expertise for services when it makes sense.

In another example, federal and state reimbursements for the cost of the care the county provides to Cedarbrook residents are key factors in making the homes as financially secure as possible. We hired Affinity Health Services to help navigate in a new world of "managed Medicaid" reimbursements administered through insurance companies rather than traditional direct state Medicaid payments. The company also assists in dealing with an increasingly complex web of changing federal regulations and closer scrutiny of the elder-care industry.

For the future, the county has committed to the multimillion-dollar renovation of the aging Allentown home, and to building a new wing there, to ensure that future generations have access to the first-rate care offered by our excellent staff. That decision, years in the making and finalized just weeks ago, demonstrates the county's confidence in the effective, efficient operation of the Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehabilitation homes.

Republican Dennis Nemes, a retired high school principal from Lower Macungie Township: Cedarbrook currently is an integral part of county care for citizens living in Lehigh County. Housing a population of more than 600 residents requires important and safe conditions for the residents. As I interacted with a wide range of citizens in Lehigh County, three different opinions emerged. They are as follows:

1. They don't know much about Cedarbrook.

2. They think it is a great facility and provides a valuable service.

3. They think it is a needed facility but it should be a privately administered operation.

Once again, I believe the important steps in making any determination concerning Cedarbrook's status is to ensure care for those in need of help. This should be accomplished through a detail analysis of both the positive elements of Cedarbrook as they currently exist and the areas of deficiency. Once data is properly gathered that should stimulate a strategic plan that clearly outlines the best options for consideration by the county leadership, residents and the taxpayers of Lehigh County. A value judgment can be made on the comprehensive analysis of what is the right decision for all involved.

Republican Marty Nothstein, an incumbent, a Lowhill Township resident: Declined to participate.

Republican Brad Osborne, an incumbent, a South Whitehall Township resident and vice president of the Jeras Corporation: The entire nursing home industry is undergoing more change today than has been seen since the 1980's. Tighter regulations and the move to managed Medicaid insurance instead of traditional Medicaid reimbursements provide significant challenges. At the same time, Cedarbrook in 2019 has been a year of transition. We went from contracted to county management with the leadership positions of Administrator, Assistant Administrator, Director of Nursing and Fiscal Officer being filled to begin the new era. Electronic systems for billing and operations were installed, contracts with risk management firms were executed and a renewed focus on personnel relationships has begun. So, how are we doing?

Cedarbrook was recently recognized as one of the top nursing homes in the United States and as the 20th best nursing facility in Pennsylvania. This means that despite all the challenges, the nearly 800 Cedarbrook employees are still working diligently to provide the best quality of care for the residents.

It is extremely difficult to recruit talent and experience in any industry today, and Cedarbrook is no exception. We must be successful in competing in this changing and mobile workforce by developing nurse recruitment strategies; I know the management team is working on that. To complement this effort, I would like to see visible progress in the architectural and engineering plans for the new wing that was approved by the commissioners. This will be a clear signal to our community that we are committed to providing a topnotch facility with modern accommodations for all our seniors.

Republican Antonio A. Pineda, a design engineer in training from Whitehall Township: The issues surrounding Cedarbrook are not just about a building, but about our community. It is important to remember that, as leaders, we serve the community, and the community does not serve us. Our senior citizens are vital to our community -- they built it, led it, and gave themselves for its success. We must take the opportunity and responsibility to give back to them seriously.

We must ensure that Cedarbrook is operating at its full potential. The facility must be secure, safe and a place where our seniors want to live. This mindset must guide our decisions on Cedarbrook. As such, I look forward to holding town hall meetings and listening sessions at Cedarbrook -- and with our seniors across the county -- to hear from them their concerns and what they believe is, and is not, working. Only then can we move forward with how we maximize the role that Cedarbrook plays in our community, making it the best place possible for our seniors to live.

Libertarian Matthew Schutter, South Whitehall Township: Could not be reached.

Democrat Zakiya Smalls, CEO of J&Z Professional Services and QVC model from South Whitehall Township: Did not respond.

___

(c)2019 The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)

Visit The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) at www.mcall.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.