The feasibility of Kenosha County purchasing land and operating an assisted living facility in Twin Lakes will be discussed at the Human Services Committee meeting Wednesday.
County Board supervisor Kim Lewis raised the question, indicating the former Hillcrest nursing facility at 100 E. School St. in Twin Lakes could be suitable for such a use.
“There are no assisted living facilities in the west end of the county, and there is a significant demand,” Lewis said. “The existing structure is solid and well built, and I believe can be converted into a nice assisted living facility for a relatively small amount of money when compared to the cost of new construction.”
The meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Kenosha County Administration Building in the second floor Committee Room.
In preparation of the discussion, county staff has conducted preliminary research regarding the cost and timing necessary to appropriately vet a purchase of the property. The goal would be to transform it into a 30- to 36-bed, county-run assisted living facility.
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Based on initial estimates from public works administration, the cost range to physically evaluate the facility would range between $25,000 and $40,000. The business-case analysis would cost an additional $25,000 to $50,000. It would take 30 to 45 days to locate an appropriate consultant and 90 to 150 days for that consultant to perform the analysis.
Staffing would be a challenge
Lynda Bogdala, Executive Director of Brookside Care Center, wrote in a report the biggest challenge with operating an assisted living facility would be staffing. Brookside Care Center, the county-run skilled nursing facility, has more than 60 open positions within nursing dietary, environmental services and finance. Willowbrook, the county-run assisted living center, as four open nursing positions. Most of these positions have been posted and open for many months with either no applicants or unqualified applicants, Bogdala indicated.
“This does not include dietary, finance, maintenance or the Administrator as they are shared employees with Brookside,” Bogdala wrote. “Those would be additional positions needing to be filled at a separate location.”
Bogdala added assisted living facilities are in demand and there are only a few of them in Kenosha County.
“However, the recruitment of employees will be an issue that could be at the detriment of caring for such a vulnerable population,” she concluded.
