NEW YORK NURSE: January 2013
Residents and nurses from the Chemung County Skilled Nursing Facility say they are getting great care at their facility.
So why are some county officials trying to privatize the nursing home’s operations?
“Comparing this place with a few other facilities that I’ve visited over the years, this place is ‘A+1,’” said Bruce Flaherty, well-known local television news anchor, who’s been a resident for more than two years.
He speaks in a new video. The residents and staff attest in the video to how well the county has managed the Skilled Nursing Facility over the years – focusing on quality care and patient satisfaction.
Betty Green is a retired nurse and the daughter of a resident. She said the she feels at peace with her mother’s care. “I just know that she’s getting good care here. I see it every day that I visit.”
“We have a very good reputation and it’s because it’s managed by the county,” said Kathy Banks, and RN at the facility.
“These are our family members,” adds her colleague Andrea Hall. “They may not be directly related – but everyone should be given the same respect we want our family given.”
“We need this place,” said one patient who’s at the home for extended therapy after a hip operation. “I really want to keep it here. I think it’s a beautiful place to be.”
The video is also basis for a television commercial and local billboards. With the new year fast approaching, the RNs are preparing for the County Legislature’s debate on privatizing the facility’s services, which is expected to come before the lawmaking body in April.