At long last, some positive pool news

Remediation plan’s approval is first good news in a while

The ribbon has yet to be cut, but Hartley’s never-open new pool appears to have some new life following a recent decision by a state board.

The Iowa Electrical Examining Board (IEEB) last month approved a remediation plan submitted by the pool’s contractor to address issues that led to a failed electrical inspection last year. Whether the city moves forward with the plan remains to be seen, but there are at least flickers of light at the end of the tunnel. That’s much better than the darkness that’s surrounded the whole ordeal over the past year.

The journey to get here has been long and arduous. The screw up at the pool has been well documented, and it’s not worth wasting more space explaining everything once again. The bottom line is that Hartley residents want to use what they paid for.

All we can do now is wait and hope this plan fixes everything to a satisfactory degree. Thus far, the pool has only served as reminder of what could have been. Community members and local officials spent countless hours planning and fundraising for the facility, and Hartley deserves to actually use it. Fingers crossed 2024 proves to be the lucky year.

At the very least, Hartley has something to hope for. It’s never good to have to fix something before it’s been used, but in this case there doesn’t seem to be much choice. It seems Hartley will have to play the hand it’s been dealt by no fault of its own.

Long-term care in long-term crisis?

Nursing home closures a concerning trend in the Hawkeye State

There’s a huge issue flying under the radar that has the potential to affect Iowans now and well into the future.

Twenty-six – that’s right, 26 – Iowa nursing homes have announced their closure since June of 2022. That staggering number has affected communities from border to border, and it jeopardizes the ability for elderly Iowans and those with special needs to receive the quality long-term care they so desperately need.

Industry leaders have cited the availability of a qualified workforce as one of the key contributors to the closures. The AARP estimates that 40 percent of Iowa’s nursing homes are experiencing a staffing shortage, which is double the national average. That can lead to poor quality of care, citations and penalties, and eventual closures. In rural Iowa where the working population is already limited, the issue of available personnel is already strained – an existing issue is compounding another.

To its credit, the Iowa Legislature has attempted to stem the tide of shuttered nursing homes. Lawmakers this year approved a moratorium on the licensing of any new nursing homes. As per the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the moratorium provides industry players with protection from added competition, which could lead to fewer closures. However, it also has the potential of leaving residents with fewer options when a closure forces them to relocate.

The moratorium law states that for at least the next 12 months – and possibly the next three years – the state will prohibit the submission of any applications for either new construction of a nursing home or a permanent increase in the bed capacity at an existing nursing home. It can be waived by the state if it’s determined there is a “specialized need” for the added nursing facility beds that would be created, or if the average occupancy rate at nursing homes in a county exceeds 85 percent.

Additionally, the Legislature passed a $15 million increase in the Medicaid reimbursement rate for Iowa nursing homes, which when combined with federal matching dollars, should generate a total of $47 million in added reimbursements, the Dispatch reported.

Pay is always a big factor in attracting workers, and the average wage for direct care professionals is gradually rising. Those averages must continue to climb if the industry is to fill its staffing ranks with qualified employees. Good help costs money, and with the clientele they’re working with, it’s worth every penny.

The need for quality long-term care facilities in our communities is obvious – who is going to care for elderly Iowans and others in need if they continue to disappear? It’s a concerning reality to ponder and the issue cannot be ignored. All Iowans, but especially rural Iowans, should pay close attention to this ongoing issue. These facilities play a vital role in our communities and their absence would create monumental burdens on a large segment of the population.