Nursing homes
Rural New York nursing home will be rebuilt with fewer beds because of staffing
Good Shepherd Communities plans a roughly $30 million replacement for Chase Memorial in New Berlin, shrinking from 80 to 60 beds, with residents moving in within 24 to 36 months.
Key facts
- WBNG reported on October 22 that Good Shepherd Communities will rebuild Chase Memorial Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in New Berlin, Chenango County.
- The new building is expected to cost about $30 million and will have 60 beds, down from 80, a change the operator tied to staffing.
What happened
WBNG reported on October 22 that Good Shepherd Communities will rebuild Chase Memorial Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in New Berlin, Chenango County. The new building is expected to cost about $30 million and will have 60 beds, down from 80, a change the operator tied to staffing.
State legislation signed this month lets the village transfer a 7.6-acre parcel, about a quarter mile from the current site, for the project. Groundbreaking is about a year away, and residents are expected to move in within 24 to 36 months. The current home stays open in the meantime.
What it means for families
Many rural nursing homes are old buildings. A rebuild keeps care in the community, but fewer beds means tighter admissions for nearby families.
For example: a family in a rural county whose father is leaving the hospital may find the closest nursing home has no bed and need to look an hour away.
Staffing, not just building size, decides how many residents a home can take.
A smaller, newer building can also mean more private rooms and better infection control, which many families value. The trade-off is fewer total beds in a county where options are already limited.
What this means in New York: this is in Chenango County. Western New York rural counties face the same staffing limits on beds.
What to do this week
- If a parent may need a nursing home, ask local homes now about typical waits for admission.
- Ask the hospital discharge planner early about bed availability within reach.
- Check homes' staffing ratings on Medicare's Care Compare.
- If a parent lives at the current home, ask the administrator how residents will move into the new building and whether anyone could be displaced.
Sources
More from Nursing homes
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