MORNINGSIDE HOUSE AWARDED HEALTHCARE EFFICIENCY AND AFFORDABILITY LAW GRANT, ALSO KNOWN AS HEAL-NY 8

[ Back to Articles ]

October 20, 2008

MSH is awarded $2.9 million under HEAL-NY 8

Recognizing changes in the demand for nursing home placement in its service area, Morningside House (MSH) submitted a Rightsizing Application to the Department of Health (DOH) requesting the conversion of 24 residential health care facility beds to 24 community-based home care slots, bringing the facility’s operating capacity down to 362.

Our historical utilization demonstrates the community’s desire to select MSH over other nursing homes in the area. Our utilization rate for the past four (4) years was over 97%; however occupancy rates are lower in 2008 for us and most other area nursing homes. Currently, Bronx County has a nursing home bed need of 9,390 beds, and a certified capacity of 11,890 beds, leading to an excess bed capacity of 2,500 beds.

• Integration of rehabilitation services onto the sub-acute patient care floors, including a workforce re-design using Certified Occupational Therapy Aides and Physical Therapy Aides working side-by-side with Certified Nursing Assistants directly on the units.

• Renovation of 2 vacated double-bedded rooms as an ADL suite to provide an on-unit learning environment for residents. ADL training improves independence and functioning in preparation for discharge. The suite is large enough to accommodate caregiver training for family members.

• Pantries will be expanded and the dining areas will be redesigned in order to provide a “Hotel Dining” approach to the meal service. The use of adaptive devices, including weighted utensils, mugs and other devices will be incorporated into the dining program to promote rehabilitation.

• A facility-wide palliative care program will be developed that will operate on a “scatter bed” basis. 2 vacated resident rooms will be dedicated as family suites to accommodate family members who wish to sleep over when a resident is in the final stages of life. The suites will also be used for family counseling, meeting, and discharge planning sessions.

• Creation of a “green-house” affect throughout resident care areas by introducing natural light into the corridors and common areas of the facility, eliminating rigid nursing stations and creating several “park-like” gathering spots for residents.

The demographics of Bronx County will continue to need comprehensive long-term care services to meet the needs of the elderly and poor residents of the community. Our project allows us to meet those without sacrificing needed health care resources. We hope you share our enthusiasm for the project.