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HomeMy WebLinkAboutATM handout final 033017 Article 14 – Proposed New Our Island Home Frequently Asked Questions Q. Why do we need a new facility? A. The existing building is 35 years old and has outlived its useful life. Most of the systems and infrastructure date back to the original 1980 construction and are in need of significant construction-based replacement and/or major repairs. These pending changes have been identified as “must-do” by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. We need to decide, as a community, how to move forward with design, funding, and construction for the future of Our Island Home. Q. What would the operating model be for a new facility? A. The method of delivering skilled nursing care has changed, nationally. The best care is provided when the comforts of home in the physical environment move from a medical/institution to something more familiar to residents that balances their ultimate needs with state and federal regulatory requirements. Reminders to staff and visitors that they are entering the home of those that need supportive nursing care has proven to provide a higher quality of life and outcomes to those residents, staff and families. This home-like model of care provides: • Improved quality of life – Privacy, Dignity, Meaningful Activity, Strength of Relationship, Autonomy, Food Enjoyment, Individualism • Improved quality of care and direct care time • Provides open areas for social common space • Operational flexibility • Higher reimbursement and lowered costs Q. Where should we build a new facility? A. The Board of Selectmen, Town Administration and the Our Island Home Building Committee are recommending a site off Miacomet Road. After comparing several sites, there are several advantages to the proposed site. Advantages of Miacomet Road Site • Least amount of disruption to residents and staff • Lowest risk • Lowest capital costs with overall construction savings • Shortest project timeline • Size of the lot allows for adequate room to be flexible with design layout • No - low risk of storm surge due to major weather event Constraints of the Current Site • State approval will be necessary to allow construction on an active critical care site • Some of the Our Island Home residents will need to be relocated during construction, in a phased manner which will have an impact on staffing and the construction timeline • Management of construction adjacent to a critical care facility will be complicated • Cost will be higher due to the type of construction that would be needed at the current site • Little flexibility for future expansion due to size limitation • Higher risk in connection with impact of storm surge during a major weather event Town of Nantucket 2017 Annual Town Meeting Landmark House Option Development Options Miacomet Road Option Phased Construction Option Construct a new Small House Facility at the Miacomet Road Site •Most straightforward and efficient solution •Least disruptive •Least complexity; avoids requisite move plans •Shortest time line to occupancy •Least costly solution Phase 1 Phase 2 Small House Concept 1.Resident directed concepts of care 2.Improvement in the 7 domains of quality of life •Privacy, Dignity, Meaningful Activity, Strength of Relationship, Autonomy, Food Enjoyment, Individuality 3.Improved quality of care and direct care time 4.Increased staff and family satisfaction 5.Provide rooms open to social common space, elimination of corridors 6.Operational flexibility 7.Highest reimbursement opportunity at the lowest cost Project Timeline / Costs Board of Selectmen/Town Administration Answers to Questions of the Our Island Home Work Group Excerpt from Work Group Report: “The work group is of the opinion that in order to pass a warrant article seeking and an appropriation for the construction of a new facility for Our Island Home, Nantucket voters need answers to the following questions:” 1) If Our Island Home were to be moved from its current location, what would happen to the current land and building? While no decisions have been made about the future use of the East Creek property, Town Administration and members of the Board of Selectmen have pledged to maintain Town ownership of the property and to maintain the property for community use. Any decision to dispose of the property would require Town Meeting approval. There are already a number of great ideas for reuse of the property that would maintain a significant community benefit. 2) Upon building a new facility, will the town seek to privatize it, sell it, or merge it with Sherburne Commons? There is no plan to sell, privatize or merge with Sherburne Commons the ownership or operation of Our Island Home. It is the expressed desire of Town Administration and members of the Board of Selectman that the Town construct a new facility in order to continue this community’s proud tradition of care for our elderly. 3) Will the town commit to funding for the continuing operation of a skilled nursing facility? As with every town department and enterprise fund, appropriation for operating budgets must be approved annually by a vote at Town Meeting. Town Administration and the Board of Selectman are committed to maintaining this community’s longstanding commitment to the care of our elderly residents through the continued operation of a skilled nursing facility. 4) With only 40 beds to begin with, will the new facility be able to expand to more beds if needed? Will the new facility over its lifetime be adaptable to changes in community needs? The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has issued a moratorium on the creation of new beds in skilled nursing home facilities. The new Our Island Home facility will be planned to maintain licensure for all of the currently-licensed beds and the building will be designed and situated on the lot to allow for maximum adaptability to the community’s future needs including a layout for a future addition. 5) With regard to the model, can we commit to a more home-like atmosphere without necessarily committing to a small house/GreenHouse® model? Can we go forward with a flexible hybrid design to be developed by the building committee and then implement the operational plan? Yes, Town Administration and the Board of Selectmen are committed to exploring options for a flexible design, which is best suited to meet the needs of the community. While “small house” concepts have been suggested to be the most beneficial model of care, no decisions about building design have been adopted. After approval by Town Meeting, the Our Island Home Building Committee and others will work with stakeholders, including staff of the current facility, to design the new building. 6) Can we, in more depth, revisit with architects and engineers the possibilities of the current location to see what could possibly be done with the current building in place? Reports and analysis about the feasibility of building on the East Creek Road (the current site) property has been gathered from a wide array of sources including paid and unpaid consultants, FEMA, local emergency management personnel and the Army Corps of Engineers. Based on the collected information, it is possible to build on the current site. Assuming that there are no added costs due to site conditions, also assuming Department of Public Health approval, it is estimated that building at East Creek would add $8-10 million to the construction costs and 18- 34 months to the timeline before the new first resident would move into the new facility.