Hillcrest preparing for veterans

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Since being approved as a contracted nursing home by the Veteran's Administration, Hillcrest Nursing Home is already fielding calls about it from families.

But vets must go through their local VA representative before they can come to Hillcrest, said Hillcrest Administrator Colinda Nappa on Tuesday.

Nappa updated the Board of Trustees Tuesday on the recent VA approval and said paperwork must begin with the VA before care can be provided by Hillcrest.

Nappa also clarified the VA will pay for costs of care of vets at Hillcrest Nursing Home, if vets meet the eligibility criteria of having a 70 percent or higher service connected disability or 60 percent service connected disability and be deemed unemployable by the VA.

Board of Trustee vice president Randy Dean said there seemed to be a lot of interest from vets in the community about coming to Hillcrest and that vets or their families in McCook should contact the Red Willow County service officer, Tom Stritt, for information.

As of now, there is no limit as to how many vets can be accepted at Hillcrest, Nappa added.

In other business, the board:

* reviewed two bids for replacing or repairing the heating unit that is used for the activities room.

Bids came from Rasmussen Mechanical Services, Inc. of Council Bluffs, Iowa, for replacing the unit and from Parde Electric in McCook for repairing. The board asked Nappa to get a bid from Parde on costs of replacement. Heating for the activities room is currently being provided by adjacent rooms, she said. Nappa told the board there is about $8,000 in the Phase II construction fund that is available.

In a related matter, Nappa advised the board of the bid for a rain gutter on the northeast entrance above a ramp door. Upon direction from the board, Nappa will get a second bid for that work.

* A transportation grant from the Nebraska Department of Roads has purchased a bus for Hillcrest, that will allow four patients in wheelchairs and 10 ambulatory patients to be transported. About $10,000 in matching funds is required, that the Hillcrest Foundation will supply. The bus will first go to Lincoln, Nebraska, for licensing and taxes and insurance purposes, then be brought to McCook sometime in March, Nappa said. Board member Dean commended the Foundation and the REWARDS committee for their work on the grant.

* "telepsychiatry" will begin at the facility, with a contract signed at the end of the week with "Encounter," a company that provides psychiatry via teleconferencing. Currently, residents at Hillcrest must travel to Beloit, Kansas, for psychiatric care.

* The board tabled any decision on using funds from Hillcrest's budget to pay for $700 in food costs from the Hillcrest Foundation's "Night on the Hill" fundraiser. Money raised from that fundraiser -- about $15,000, the same as last year - go toward education scholarships for Hillcrest employees. The board decided to wait until the upcoming Hillcrest Foundation meeting to get input from Foundation members. Several board members mentioned that foundation members may want to cover costs for accurate accounting purposes.

* current census report shows 83 residents Tuesday, compared with 90 a year ago; one in hospice, nine in skilled care, eight in assisted living, one VA resident, 41 private pay and 33 state-paid. A total of 11 residents were admitted in October with 14 discharged. Eight staff members were hired, three at full time.

* According the October financial report, total cash flow was $239,766. Total cash on hand, including funds in the checking account, money left in the sinking fund (from the $1 million borrowed from the county in 2012) and construction fund, total $418,739. Total cash on hand, combined with estimated payments due from private pay, Medicare and Medicaid, come to $610,368. Payroll, critical bills due and unpaid resident refunds total $370,602.