The Island Nursing Home and Care Center is a non-profit facility that is committed to providing the highest level of innovative and quality healthcare.
President - Ronda Dodge - Bangor
Secretary - Tim Hoechst - Falmouth
Treasurer - Jeff Dalrymple - Surry
Member - Deborah Alley - Little Deer Isle
Member - Gidget Fagerber - Attleboro, MA
Member - Cindy Lash - Stonington
Member - Karen Vickerson - Stonington
Member- Skip Greenlaw- Stonington
Member- Kim Lengert- Deer Isle
Member- Leon W**d- Sedgwick
01/26/2024
Medical Equipment/Furniture for Sale
With INH’s new future plans for Senior Housing, the board would like to support community members by offering medical equipment and furniture to you for free or a minimal cost. There are electric beds, nightstands, over the bed tables, recliner chairs, 24 inch TVs, Hoyer lifts and more. All walkers, commodes, wheelchairs, shower chairs and canes are FREE. If interested in making an appointment to see what is available or have questions, please call or email Lori Morey at 207 460-2005 or lmorey@islandnursinghome.org.
12/05/2023
If you need a passcode for the zoom meeting tonight, it is 928676
12/05/2023
FACTS REGARDING ISLAND NURSING HOME
From INH Board of Directors
1. When the Board first started to consider reopening INH, the first decision we made was that we would not reopen the facility unless we had an iron-clad guarantee of two things. First, that we would have enough resources to pay our expenses, and second, that we had adequate staff to care for the residents. Closing the facility in October 2021 was a painful experience for the residents and for the staff, and we were not going to repeat that experience.
2. We hired a consulting firm in late 2021 to help us reorganize INH. We were told that we could purchase the contracts of Philippine nurses to staff INH. We subsequently learned that our federal government froze the importation of nurses from foreign countries because of the covid pandemic. Besides that , there were many health care facilities in Maine which had already contracted with nurses from foreign countries. There was at least a 15 month waiting list before we could apply for contract nurses.
3. So we decided that it was not feasible to reopen aa a nursing facility because we could not hire sufficient staff.
4. Our license to operate a nursing facility expired on February 28, 2023.
5. In September 2022, we sold $2 million of our bed rights which netted INH $700,000. We would have lost the value these Medicare bed rights in October 2022 if we had not sold them.
6. We applied for a conditional license to operate a residential care (Rescare) facility and were granted that license. The license expires on January 11, 2024. Requirements for reopening include having sufficient revenue, having a full staff, passing numerous inspections, e.g. fire safety. These requirements need to be met before January 11, 2024 to obtain a full non- conditional license.
7. We drafted a budget for 32 Rescare beds. The budget was $2,172,000. The cost per bed was $196 per resident per day. However, the State Medicaid rate for reimbursement, also known as Maine Care, was only $110 per patient per day. This left us with a deficit approaching $500,000.
8. In November 2022, we initiated a fund drive to raise $1.5 million to cover three years of potential deficits. We have raised $232,501.50 towards that goal. The scuttle-butt around the communities was that people were reluctant to contribute because there was no guarantee that there would be a revenue stream to cover deficit after three years.. This feed back was the reason why we did not hire a fund raiser. We did not think that such an effort would be successful because of the feed back we were receiving from potential contributors. We have concluded that it is not possible to reopen INH as a Rescare facility because we do not have the resources to pay our expenses. Because we will loose our license next month, the board has voted to sell the remaining bed rights. We have been working hard to find alternative uses for the facility. We came to the conclusion that if we tried to establish a program with the State it would not be successful because the State would not reimburse the cost of the program. More about our efforts later.
9. Joanna Bentley, Leon W**d, and Skip Greenlaw, three INH board members, traveled to Augusta during the 2023
Legislative session to testify in favor of more funding for nursing homes on three occasions. Several letters were also written and mailed to Governor Mills. The House Chairman of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee finally told Skip that the reason why the Maine Legislature was not going to appropriate additional funds for nursing homes was that there were too many expensive nursing contracts which were paid to the contract nurses. The Maine Legislature apparently appropriated $180 million to nursing facilities and hospitals during the covid pandemic to cover nursing costs. We feel that it is very clear that the State of Maine wants to transition from nursing/rescare to in-home health care. The problem is that they cannot hire enough people to provide adequate home health care. While this may work for people who are ill and live in multi-family homes, there are still many people who live alone and who need 24 hour care in a nursing/rescare facility.
10. A sobering statistic is that 30 nursing homes and rescare facilities have closed since 2014. We are not aware that any of these facilities have reopened. We contacted the owners of two nursing homes/rescare facilities to inquire whether they would partner with us or consider buying INH. Neither owner had any interest in partnering or buying INH.
11. On July 16, 2023, we invited former employees to a staff picnic at INH. There were over 200 invitations sent out to former employees. The purpose of the meeting was to determine how much interest there was for former employees to return to work at INH. 21 former employees attended the picnic. 16 employees responded to the survey, and only 3 were willing to work full time. We would need at least 28 staff to reopen, plus extras to cover absences and turnover.
12. Discussions were held with the directors of a university nursing program to develop a collaborative training experience for upcoming students. Although the university program was promising and could have yielded some employment after a few years, there was no guarantee that such a venture would produce sufficient employees to staff the facility.
13. When we initiated the fund drive, we promised that we would return your contribution if we were not able to reopen the facility as a rescare facility. We will honor that commitment. You will shortly receive a letter asking 1. if you wish to have your contribution returned 2. if you would be willing to leave your contribution with INH so we could replace the #1 boiler at an estimated cost of $25,000 and other unforeseen expenses or 3. whether you wish us to forward your contribution to Healthy Island Project or Community Compass, two 501(c)(3) organizations in our area which provide services to the elderly. Please fill in the postcard which you will receive with the letter and return it to INH. Thank you again for your contribution.
The above information are the reasons why we have decided that it is not feasible to reopen INH as a nursing home or rescare facility. We are pleased to answer any questions you might have regarding this information. This has not been an easy decision, and we are all disappointed that we were not able to find some solution that would allow us to continue using INH as a nursing home or rescare facility.
We would like to entertain any suggestions you might have for alternative uses of INH. We will share with you also some ideas which we have been considering.
11/20/2023
Public Meeting Set for Future of Island Nursing Home Facility.
The Island Nursing Home Board of Directors has set a public meeting to solicit input for the future of the facility. The Board of Directors came to the conclusion last month that the facility cannot reopen as a residential care facility. The Board is holding a public meeting for the community to weigh in on potential options for the building and grounds that was once a skilled nursing facility.
The public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at Island Nursing Home, 587 N Deer Isle Road, in Deer Isle. For those wishing to attend the meeting through Zoom, a link is being shared at www.IslandNursingHome.org
“Our Board of Directors turned over every possible stone to come up with a path forward as a residential care home for our seniors,” said Island Nursing Home Board President Leon W**d. “But now it is time to look ahead to how we can use this marvelous building and grounds to best serve this community and, hopefully, the elderly population. The purpose of the public meeting is for our friends, family and neighbors to offer additional thoughts and ideas for the future of this facility.”
The Island Nursing Home and Care Center is an independent, non-profit facility that is committed to providing the highest level of innovative and quality healthcare to an aging population while maintaining community relationships and honoring our core values of care, compassion, and service.
08/22/2023
We want to hear from you! Please comment below with questions you would like to have answered, and the Island Nursing Home Board of Directors will give you the answers we have as soon as we can. Our goal is to be even more transparent as we all work together to navigate this process.
07/31/2023
If you’d like to join the public meeting on zoom, please go to Islandnursinghome.org. If it requires a pass code, use 702773.
07/21/2023
The Board of Directors would like to invite you to a public meeting at the Deer Isle Stonington High School to discuss the future of INH on Monday, July 31st at 6pm in the cafeteria.
07/05/2023
06/07/2023
Maintenance/Grounds Worker
This position is responsible for Homeport @ Island Nursing Home building and grounds. Duties will include, but not limited to, maintaining repairs to the facility and grounds, learning the operation of internal systems including all pumps, boilers, electrical system, emergency generator and security systems, as well as working and supervising external licensed contractors for systems and equipment as needed.
Prior broad maintenance experience is preferred, along with good communication skills. This position is flexible to fit the candidate’s schedule. It has the potential to become a full-time, year-round position with benefits. Salary based on experience.
Please send your letter of interest and resume to Lori Morey, Island Nursing Home, 587 North Deer Isle Road, Deer Isle, Maine 04627 or email lmorey@islandnursinghome.org.
03/27/2023
Here is the link for a community meeting to discuss the progress made to reopen.
Topic: INH Public Meeting at DISHS 6pm Mar 29
Time: Mar 29, 2023 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 831 8227 7113
Passcode: 898482
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03/17/2023
Please see our Go-Fund-Me Page
We’re a small rural town on the coast of Maine with a big he… Joanna Bentley, for Homeport - needs your support for help us please - Homeport @ Island Nursing Home
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The Island Nursing Home and Care Center was founded in 1975 when the Island Women’s Club formed a corporation to create a nursing home on Deer Isle. When the Farmer’s Home Administration agreed to fund $1,000,000.00 towards the construction of a 50-bed facility, the community began a fund raising effort that ultimately raised $500,000.00 to match the FMHA loan. The doors opened eight years later on Valentine’s Day 1983. In the next few years the facility created one of the first Adult Day Care programs in the state.
By 1994, the center had completed two additions. The first incorporated a meeting room, solarium, storage rooms and expanded the kitchen and laundry. The second created an 11-bed skilled unit, 5 more nursing beds, a child day care center, walkway and gazebo and two small dining rooms. One wing was converted to house a 20-bed secured dementia unit.
By 1997 the facility diversified to comprise 32 residential care beds, 38 skilled/nursing beds, Adult Day services, Child Day Care services, Respite Care, Hospice Care and expanded community outreach programs in caregiver support and education.
Due to the overwhelming generosity of community members and friends, INH has raised enough money to upgrade its security system, bathing systems, laundry equipment, transportation, and most recently, a facility-wide renovation which made many improvements to our residents rooms and common areas.
INH continues to offer long-term care, residential care, skilled rehabillitation, respite care, hospice care, outpatient therapies, and is governed by up to 12 Board Members representing Deer Isle, Stonington, Isle Au Haut, Brooksville, Brooklin, Sedgwick and Blue Hill. The organization is one of the largest employers on Deer Isle, employing up to 100 people.
