Wave of rural nursing home closures grows amid staffing crunch

The problem could deepen as pandemic-era government assistance dries up and care facilities struggle to compete by TONY LEYS

Kaiser Health News

WAUKON, IA – Marjorie

Kruger was stunned to learn last fall that she would have to leave the nursing home where she’d lived comfortably for six years. The Good Samaritan Society facility in Postville, IA, would close, administrators told Kruger and 38 other residents in September. The facility joined a growing list of nursing homes being shuttered nationwide, especially in rural areas.

“The rug was taken out from under me,” said Kruger, 98. “I thought I was going to stay there the rest of my life.”

Her son found a room for her in another Good Samaritan center in Waukon, a small town 18 miles north of Postville. Kruger said the new facility is a pleasant place, but she misses her friends and longtime staffers from the old one. “We were as close as a nice family,” she said.

The Postville facility’s former residents are scattered across northeastern Iowa. Some were forced to move twice, after the first nursing home they transferred to also went out of business.

Owners say the closures largely stem from a shortage of workers, including nurses, nursing assistants, and kitchen employees.

The problem could deepen as pandemic-era government assistance dries up and care facilities struggle to compete with rising wages offered by other employers, industry leaders and analysts predict. Many

2-23: Richard Trenton Thornburg, 35, 113 Pine Ave., Cherryville; felony possession of methamphetamine and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance. $2,500 secured bond.

2-27: William David Sisk, 40, 5029 Old Pine Ln., Cherryville; one count each felony WSOJ/probation violation from Lincoln County. No bond type/amt. listed on report.

2-27: Collette Roy Blackwelder, 58, 505 Spring St., Cherryville; one count misdemeanor simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance. Summons/cited for drug violation.

3-3: Jonathan William Walls, 33, 248 Devenny Rd., Cherryville, was arrested at 4509 Red Apple Dr., Gaston County, by GCPD officers on one count of simple assault.

3-3: Joey Tyler Somerset, 31, 1311 Wildale Ln., Lincolnton; one count each misdemeanor DUI, displaying fictitious registration plate, and possessing stolen property.$5,000 secured bond.

3-3: Takisha Diane Hamrick, 37, Streets of Cherryville; WSOJ (financial card) and one count misdemeanor WSOJ (possessing stolen property). $10,000 secured bond.

3-4: Dana Marie Burleson, 41, 118 Angie St., Cherryville; one count misdemeanor possessing marijuana up to ½ ounce. Summons/cited for drug charge.

3-4: Breanna Lavarr Crawford, 25, 2846 Crawford Ave., Bessemer City; one count felony possession of marijuana; one count each misdemeanor simple possession of Schedule II and IV controlled substances; 2nd degree trespassing; and injury to personal property. $2,500 secured bond.

3-5: Gregory Dean Young, 56, 706 E. Marion St., Shelby; WSOJ (Cleveland Co.). No bond amt./ type; subject taken into custody and transferred to Cleveland County.

Incidents

reports larceny from his residence by listed suspect who took his SS card and a passport w/o owner’s permission. Case is active and under further investigation.

3-3: GCPD officers report a new investigation into a drug/narcotic violation and at 1284 Shelby Hwy., Cherryville.

3-3: On Oct. 19, 2022, GCPD officers reported further investigation into a disorderly conduct/disturbing the peace incident at 103 S. Chavis Dr., Cherryville.

3-3: CPD officer reports DUI, displaying fictitious license plate, and possessing stolen property by listed suspect who displayed listed tag and drove while impaired. Seized: registration plate ($28), and oner blood draw kit. Closed/cleared by arrest.

3-3: CPD officer reports WSOJ’s served on listed suspect who had outstanding warrants. Closed/cleared by arrest.

3-4: CPD officer reports possession of marijuana up to ½ ounce by listed suspect who possessed narcotics. Seized: 21.30 grams of marijuana. Closed/cleared by arrest.

3-4: CPD officer reports possession of marijuana; simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance; simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance; and service of a criminal summons on listed suspect who possessed illegal narcotics. Seized: 101.70 grams of marijuana; 0.50 dosage units of Clonazepam; and 1 dosage unit of amphetamine. Closed/cleared by arrest.

3-5: CPD officer reports WSOJ on listed subject who was accused of shoplifting at Walmart. Closed/cleared by arrest.

WRECKS

2-24: A vehicle driven by David Alan Anthony, 62, 102 S. Rudisill Ave., Cherryville, exited the McDonald’s parking lot and collided with a vehicle driven by Jerry Dale White, 53, 1445 E. Main St., Cherryville, which was traveling west on Church Street. The damage to the truck trailer was on its left side (wheels). No injuries reported. Est. damages to the Anthony vehicle: $5,000; to the White vehicle: $200.

2-24: A vehicle driven by Ryley Addison Brown, 22, 112 Plumtree Dr., Kings Mountain, was making a left turn onto Church St., and collided with a vehicle driven by Linda Louise Anness, 75, 162 Brown –Watterson Rd., Cherryville, that was traveling west on Church Street. The injured were treated at the scene by GEMS. Est. damages to the Brown and Anness vehicle was $3,000 per vehicle. The Anness vehicle was towed by KT Towing to KT Towing. Ms. Brown was cited for expired registration.

2-26: A vehicle driven by Hesham Amin Musi Shahbin, 37, 503 W. 6th St., Newton, stopped at the stop sign and while exiting the parking lot of the Cherryville Walmart, located at 2505 Lincolnton Hwy., collided with a vehicle driven by Nancy May Savoy, 78, 3892 Cat Square Rd., Vale, who was traveling north on Bud Black Road. Collision happened on the Savoy vehicle’s right side. The Savoy vehicle then lost control after contact and collided w/a tree. Mr. Shahbin was cited for failure to yield right of way. The injured from the Savoy vehicle were treated at the scene by CFD and GEMS and transported to CaroMont Hospital, Gastonia. The Savoy vehicle was towed to Sawyer’s Towing, Lincolnton, by Sawyer’s Towing,

Lincolnton. Est. damages to the Shahbin vehicle: $3,000; to the Savoy vehicle: $9,000.

2-26: A vehicle driven by Luann Beam Sellers, 68, 502 E. Academy St., Cherryville, was turning from First St., onto Depot St. when it collided with a vehicle driven by Kenya Alexis Swinson, 27, 1677 Gray Fox Rd., Iron Station, which was stopped at the stop sign at Depot Street. No injuries reported. Est. damages to the Sellers vehicle: $3,500; to the Swinson vehicle: $1,500.

2-27: A vehicle driven by Joel Reese Brown, 67, 832 Kenwood Rd., Cherryville, left the ACE Hardware parking lot and attempted to cross the roadway (Lincolnton Hwy.) onto to Dick Beam Rd., when it made contact with a vehicle driven by Christopher William Weaver, 34, 3015 Polkville Rd., Shelby, which was making a left turn onto Lincolnton Hwy. No injuries reported. Est. damages to both vehicles: $1,500 (per vehicle).

3-4: A vehicle driven by Robin Lee Starnes, 53, 1110 Baxter Rd., Cherryville, made contact in the rear with a vehicle driven by Brittany Nicole Edwards, 25, 5471 Triangle Cir., Hickory, which was stationary in the Taco Bell drive-thru line. The Starnes vehicle then continued moving in a forward direction, coming to a stop after making contact w/a fixed object ( a metal pole). No injuries reported. Est. damages to the Starnes vehicle: $1,500; to the Edwards vehicle: $500. The Starnes vehicle was towed to R & M Motors by KT Towing.

A Natural Alternative To Traditional Cremation

care centers that have managed to remain open are keeping some beds vacant because they don’t have enough workers to responsibly care for more residents.

The pandemic brought billions of extra federal dollars to the long-term care industry, which was inundated with covid-19 infections and more than 160,000 resident deaths. Many facilities saw business decline amid lockdowns and reports of outbreaks. Staff members faced extra danger and stress.

The industry is still feeling the effects.

From February 2020 to November 2021, the number of workers in nursing homes and other care facilities dropped by 410,000 nationally, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Staffing has rebounded only by about 103,000 since then.

In Iowa, 13 of the 15 nursing homes that closed in 2022 were in rural areas, according to the Iowa Health Care Association. “In more sparsely populated areas, it’s harder and harder to staff those facilities,” said Brent Willett, the association’s president. He noted that many rural areas have dwindling numbers of working-age adults.

The lack of open nursing home beds is marooning some patients in hospitals for weeks while social workers seek placements. More people are winding up in care facilities far from their hometowns, especially if they have dementia, obesity, or other conditions that require extra attention.

Colorado’s executive director of health care policy and financing, Kim Bimestefer, told a conference in November that the state recognizes it needs to help shore up care facilities, especially in rural areas. “We’ve

2-26: A Cherryville woman reports burglary and B&E and larceny after B&E by unknown person(s) who broke into her residence. Est. value of stolen/recovered items; $1,985 (misc. tools, TV, hobby/sports items, and shoes/clothing). Case is active and under further investigation.

2-27: A CPD officer reported unnamed/unlisted subject had two (2) WSOJ’s for probation violation (outstanding warrants). Closed/ cleared by arrest.

2-27: A CPD officer reports simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (one dosage unit of Oxycodone 5mg.) by listed suspect who possessed listed narcotic pill. Closed/cleared by arrest.

2-28: A Cherryville man had more nursing homes go bankrupt in the last year than in the last 10 years combined,” she said.

In Montana, at least 11 nursing homes – 16 percent of the state’s facilities – closed in 2022, the Billings Gazette reported.

Nationally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reported recently that 129 nursing homes had closed in 2022. Mark Parkinson, president of the American Health Care Association, said the actual count was significantly higher but the federal reports tend to lag behind what’s happening on the ground.

For example, a recent KHN review showed the federal agency had tallied just one of the 11 Montana nursing home closures reported by news outlets in that state during 2022, and just eight of the 15 reported in Iowa.

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