Laurelbrooke Hosts Local Legislators

The Laurelbrooke Landing continuing care retirement community in Brookville recently hosted U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson and State Rep. Sam Smith for a legislative forum as part of their 3rd annual Homecoming Week.

During the forum, a panel and the audience discussed the future of aging services in Jefferson County.

The panel included Thompson, Smith and President-CEO of WRC Senior Services Fran Roebuck Kuhns.

Approximately 32 people attended the forum and included other aging service providers, Jefferson County Area Agency on Aging, Punxsutawney Hospital/ Home Health, Tri-County Nursing LLC, Lane Avenue Assisted Living and Brookville/ New Bethlehem Home Health.

All of WRC Senior Services communities were also in attendance, as well as elderly residents and family members.

Thompson shared his concerns about the healthcare reform legislation, particularly on the impact it will have on access to care.

"What the healthcare reform bill means for seniors is increases in costs and a decrease in innovation of providers," said Thompson. "These cuts to Medicare really concern me about access, especially in rural areas where our reimbursements are much lower."

Many other issues were confronted during the forum. Smith spoke about the Department of Public Welfare's assisted living regulations that were approved on June 6, 2010. The regulations create an additional level of care in Pennsylvania between personal care and the nursing home.

The regulations have raised concerns among rural providers since their creation in 2008, who are unsure they will be able to meet the requirements to become licensed to provide assisted living.

Smith was actively involved in advocacy with WRC Senior Services related to the regulations. "They [DPW] made some improvements based on our comments. We are still concerned they're going to be a problem in rural areas. One size doesn't fit all. I don't know if assisted living will be very available in our area," he said.

Other topics discussed during the forum included the Pennsylvania state budget, service-enriched housing for the elderly and the impact of costly government regulations on providers and the elderly consumer.

"We have unfunded, state mandated regulations that increase our costs and elders with no money to access services," said Kuhns. One such regulation that WRC Senior Services has recently been talking to legislators about is a proposed change by DPW to the occupancy permit of personal care homes like Laurelbrooke Assisted Living.

Under the proposed change, personal care homes would need to have the same typeLaurelbrooke Assisted Living of occupancy permit as hospitals, in order to care for immobile residents. In most case, this will involve costly upgrades and renovations.

Due to a statewide outcry of providers and legislators speaking on their behalf, DPW has withdrawn the proposed change for the time being.

Coordinated grassroots advocacy such as this brings out the importance of cooperation between aging services competitors. "If competitors can come together and agree on a course of action of how to best provide services, it makes it easier for legislators to advocate," said Smith. "It allows you to speak with one voice."

Laurelbrooke Landing hopes to make the legislative forum an annual event to help with grassroots advocacy efforts and promote discussion and cooperation between aging services providers in Jefferson County.

July 2010