| A Different Twist:
No One is Getting Rich Off This Nursing Home . . Recently, a couple of MCQC members heard about a unique nursing home in North English, Iowa and decided to drop in for a visit.
Bob Casteel, a resident at the English Valley Care Center, is a know-it-all”. He should be – he and his wife Ethel saw a need for such a place back in the early 70's– and they went to work on it! Bob says it was really Ethel who did all the work – she and her friends solicited 12 people who each put in1600 and they wereon their way toward building the first of seven care centers. There were a lot of people who did a lot of pushing”, Bob recalls EVCC opened in1973 with a mission and philosophy of Great Places to Call Home”. It is locally owned, governed by a 9-member local Board of Directors that meet monthly. Bob was proud to point out that the board makes their own rules and raise their own money. It opened with 40 beds in two wings, and three years later another wing was added.
When Bob retired in 1984 (he was into hardware stores, lumberyards, theatres and grocery stores) he took the job as janitor at EVCC, at the minimum wage of $3.50, to prove what he could do as a “good” janitor in an attempt to get the wages raised. He remained as janitor for five years, doing all the repairs, ele ctrical and plumbing – everything but a floor mopper – proving the value of a good custodian and the necessity of them being part of the “team”. The starting rate for that position is now $16.00 per hour.
The care center now boasts “Valley View Assisted Living” because Bob, as a member of the Board of Directors, made the initial motion to borrow money for the addition which opened in 2004 with eight apartments in two sizes. EVCC and ValleyView have a friendly, dedicated staff of 75, many with 20+ yearsof service. With low staff turnover they are able to provide ahigh level of continuity of care. All of the departments (Nursing,Dietary, Laundry, Housekeeping, Activities, Maintenance, SocialServices and Administration) work together as a team toprovide the bestpossible care forthe residentsand tenants.EVCC is a Medicarecertifiednursing facilitywith a reputationfor providing highquality service totheir residents.They concentrateon keepingcosts low andquality of servicehigh and take pride in maintaining a home-like environment fortheir residents with a picnic area backyard. Winter had comewhen MCQC members visited this facility, but the raised bedgardening site was still visible through the large glass doorsleading outside. With the residents talking about the coming ofspring planting, and eating “those good green beans again”,one could envision them tending, picking and preparing their own vegetables for dinner.
If there are complaints or problems to be resolved, Iowa'sCare Review Committee investigates. Bob says, “They live inthe community, we all know each other”. Pride beams fromthe face of Bob when he talks about English Valley Care Center.It truly is a “Great Place to Call Home”.
YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE NEEDED . . .
Members of the Vivian J. Roller Family are collecting recipes so they can publish a cookbook.. All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Vivian J. Roller Family Endowment which was established in memory of Ms. Roller by her thirteen children afterher tragic death which occurred in a Missouri nursing home in November of 2000.
The endowment, which is part of MCQC, was created in an effort to inform and educate the general public regarding theimportance of quality nursing home care with a mission to fund organizations or individuals who are working to improve the quality oflife and quality of care for residents in long-term care facilities in Missouri, and to achieve better pay and training for their caregivers. To accomplish this, grants will be awarded two times a year from the income generated by the endowment. The first two grants wereawarded in 2005. Visit the Roller website www.advocatesforseniors.org or click on the Roller link of www.mcqc.com for additional information.
Please support and become part of the team in getting this cookbook published by submitting your favorite recipe to: JudySawyer, 603 W. Main St., Kahoka, MO. 63445. You may also email the recipe to her at jsawyer2004@yahoo.com. Be sure toidentify subject as “recipes for cookbook” or the email will not be opened.
MORE INFORMATION FROM YOUR VETERANS COMMISSION . . .
The Missouri Veterans Commission currently operates and maintains seven long-term skilled nursing care facilities with a total of 1,350 available beds. One of the seven homes is located in Cameron, Missouri, a 200-bed facility located on a 20-acre site donatedby the City of Cameron. The home held its dedication ceremony and admitted its first resident in 2000. The facility is divided intothree 50-bed long-term skilled nursing care units, and one 50-bed dementia unit which contains its own dining room, activity areaand enclosed courtyard. The home also offers a recreation area, barber shop and rehabilitation area.
Veterans in need of nursing care may seek admission to a Missouri Veterans' Home by filing an application with the home(s)of his or her choice. Prospective residents may obtain application forms from any Missouri Veterans Home, from a MissouriVeterans Service Officer, or by completing a download form from their website: www.mvc.dps.mo.gov. To obtain more informationyou may also call (573)751-3779. |
