Making HLRC a great place to retire and work

Dear Editor,

As the dust settles from all the changes at Hi-Line Retirement Center over the past few weeks, it’s time to reflect on the past, and look to the future. What happened to create the financial difficulties that the facility is experiencing? What interventions are needed to insure long term survivability of the Hi-Line?

I believe the two major issues the facility faces are census and staffing. These issues are not unique to Highline but are an issue that plagues the industry nationwide.

Why are census such an issue? After all America has an aging population, and as the baby boomers age the demand for nursing care is growing, right? In 1920 the population of Phillips County was 9,300. When the Good Samaritan Society built the current facility in 1979 the population in Phillips Country was 5,400 people today there are approx. 4,000 residents in Phillips County. As the population shrinks and home based services increase the demand for nursing home beds diminish. Other challenges are related to the structure of the current building. When built in 1979 the standard nursing home was double occupancy rooms with shared bathroom. Over time this has changed, newer facilities have private rooms and baths. This is a big issue when prospective clients from outlying communities are looking for placement of their family members. The biggest thing that has been done to address this issue is the consolidation of the two facilities in town under one roof. Already, it has had a positive effect on the daily census. There is no way I can stress the importance of customer service. I always tell my staff, “remember, this is their home and you are a guest coming into their home to care for them”. So, often we get the roles of staff and resident reversed and forget that we are here to serve.

The second big issue facing Hi-Line Retirement Center is staffing. The falling population in the county not only effects census, but the available labor pool shrinks. The facility relies daily on travel nurses and CNA’s to meet basic staffing needs. Why? Researching to subject I found that this not just a local issue, but national, even international crisis. I could write a whole article on the whys of the nursing shortage, maybe another time. Meanwhile recruiting and retention of nursing staff has to be top priority. Hi-Line, cannot continue to rely on travel nurses and CNA’s and be financially successful, and provide quality continuality of care. Unfortunately, there are no magical cures or quick fixes, to the staffing woes. I believe stability in the nursing staff is an achievable goal. I believed, it pays to treat your staff with dignity, respect, and treat them best you can afford.

For any business to succeed it must change with the times, adapt to changing culture, and business environment. This is especially challenging in the nursing home industry when the state and federal regulations dictate how you do business, leaving little room for creativity or deviation from the standard nursing home model. We must always be looking at how we can function better and more efficiently.

I am humbled and in awe how the community has responded to the challenges facing Hi-Line Retirement Center with financial and moral support. May, we as a facility take this opportunity to rise above the challenges, and make Hi-Line Retirement Center a great place to retire, and work for years to come.

Duane Murray

Interim Administrator

Hi-Line Retirement Center