idu2-it says mercy has more nursing hours per resident. Thats awesome....it shows that people are spending time with the residents, which is spectacular. I would rather send my parents to a place where the nurse spends 4 hours out of the day with them then somewhere where the nurse only spends a 1/2 hour with them. Thank you for making it easy for me once again!!!

Just be aware that the article that idu2 referenced is NOT the assisted living facilty being closed. It is the skilled nursing home (Mercy Manor Transition Center) that only provides short term rehab. No comparison.

aawihsoh:
Be careful of the BLOG you STEP ON it maybe connected to some FACTS LATER!!!!!

aawihsoh:
"So basically your saying is when you get your words thrown back at you and proved wrong you find something else to ridicule someone about, NUF SAID!" NO I CAN SHOW SOME FACTS!!!!! DID YOU READ IT!

Here is a good comparison of Mercy assisted living and other assisted living in the area thought you might like to know http://citehealth.com/nursing-homes/wisc...

It truly is sad for the people that it affects and my heart goes out to all of you in hopes you will all get stronger from this.

This is just terrible! My mom is losing her job, and she just loves it there. She said that there are many residents that are just heart broken, they are losing their homes. There are some that have been there for a very long time. I told my mom that hopefully this means there are better things in store for her, but it is really hard to stick to that philosophy. She is all alone, and barely makes it as it is. I am so sorry for all the others who are losing their jobs, as well as you poor residents. I pray you find a new place just as welcoming! I know my mom will not forget about you! God Bless!

People keep talking about Dean. Dean has already pushed back building their facility another year. Unless more jobs with insurance come to the area, I'd gamble Dean will keep putting it off. Mercy has seen a decrease in patients since many have lost their insurance in the area over the last few years. Although safer than most occupations, this is evidence that the economy affects everyone. My guess, is that if Mercy wasn't seeing declines across the board, that they could overlook minor losses in certain areas. However, though unfortunate, it's obviously something that had to be done. Considering the economic situation in our area, we can all only hope that no further cuts are made.

Why would they even consider building it somewhere else? why scatter health care around town and drive up prices? it is insanely cheaper to run health care at one centralized location, which translates to patient cost. Additionally many cancer patients require multiple surgeries and admittance to the hospital frequently, would it make more sense to drive them across town or even across the street daily, sometimes multiple times a day for cancer treatment? Someone whos been in health care for 7 years should know the fundamentals of care.

i am confused what center this is. is it the big white one green roof that they just built not too long ago?? It seems HUGE to me. sorta on the river?

miltonalum~How are you not getting what I am saying? If the place was ORIGANLLY built somewhere else than they wouldn't have as many patients/vistors/employees trying to park in the same parking lot! The moving them to Mercy Assisted was a suggestion, I do know it takes a lot to move that stuff. I've been in the medical field for over 7 years now. I'm not dumb.

unfortunately Its hard to renovate a parking lot, no matter how much you try you still end up with the same physical parking space. A parking structure was long long overdue. I suppose they could have a helicopter come and lift overflow parking to the roof?
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The parking structure was only about 8 million fyi.

It just blows my mind that he is closing a Mercy facility while right accross the street his is performing a what, 10..15..20 million dollar addition not renovation.

If you knew anything about whats needed to have a cancer center with the equipment Mercy has you would see that there was no other place to build it, Those machines require 8-foot thick concrete walls and ceilings. Its not as simple as moving the equipment to another building, its very very specialized.

miltonalum~There you go putting words in my mouth AGAIN! I never said we didn't need a cancer center! Will you read for once??????? I said it could have been built somewhere else to help with accomidating parking. Maybe they can use the assisted living building for Mercy West and the Cancer Center. I really wish people would learn to read things as they are wrote and not read it how they want to!

And what exactly does Dean have to do with any of this, they Never even offered a service like this to janesville, yet people can sit and say wait for dean wait for dean.
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Dean wont be bringing anything like this to Mercy and never even offered it to begin with so dean is already 2 steps behind Mercy in this respect.

aawihsoh---read every post, Your taking my argument out of context, I was responding to someone who felt that they should not have built the cancer center or clinic west. I never gave priority to one over the other (assisted care vs. cancer center) I simply refuted someones claim that it did not belong there.
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In a perfect world assisted care would be thriving, but in an age where private assisted living is taking over this is a necessary move, If the argument (which it seems is) that these 28 folks have nowhere to go, they are people also, elderly or not, just like the hundreds of thousands of other people put out by businesses closing, GM for example, thousands stand to lose there homes to foreclosure and have to find other places to live because their division closed, just like Mercy is a business thats closing a division. Non-profit is not an excuse to keep it open, they still need to break even because banks dont care if your losing money non-profit or not.

To all you Mercy bashers-maybe Dean Care will build you an assisted living facility because they are so wonderful.

Nice way to stay on topic. Last time I checked these comments were not supposed to be about personally attacking someone because you don't agree with their comments. If you can't say anything nice....don't say anything at all!

So basically your saying is when you get your words thrown back at you and proved wrong you find something else to ridicule someone about, NUF SAID!

aawihsoh: I suggest you take up reading comprehension and get anger management!!!!!!!! I hope you don’t work at Mercy or any health care facility either!

You are not nice to wish that on me! I did not say that I would like to see people loose their jobs!!!!!!!

"Out priced themselves"-idu2 has no idea about costs and overhead of running a business. It is roughly $3500 a month per person. Multiply that by 29 residents and that is roughly $1.2 million. There is 28 employess average just say a very low $25,000 yearly income for each employee and that is $700,000 right there. So leaves only $500,000 left before food, water, heat, paying outside business' to keep it clean and safe for the elderly residents. So basically they would be VERY lucky to make $100,000 profit by the end of the year.
Mercy claims to be a non-profit organization and it looks like they wouldn't be making very much money on the place. So you come on here and say they "out priced themselves" get real. So I am very curious to where they are raking in the dough.

My point is that Mercy is inflated in cost and I think Dean will be lower in cost! I don’t wan to see anyone lose his or her job! I would just like to see fair market costs (prices)!

idu2 is a complete moron talking about the sooner the better people lose their jobs? I know people that work there and thats very nice of you to say. I'm not a fan of that Mercy either but people are losing their home. I hope you go to a horrible quality facility when you get older and get beaten everyday.

I think Mercy has "out priced themselves!! I can't wait for Dean to start digging!!!! The sooner the better!!!

After seeing the price tag to stay at this place, I’m surprised they lasted this long!!!

Unidentified, by law they cannot deny treatment in an "emergency" situation.

miltonalum-"Whats the difference, both need services equally, there are far more cancer patients that the 29 residents at the facility that is being closed." whats the difference?? yes, there are more cancer patients than the residents at this facility, but these people are loosing their home. what about the people that have called this place home for years? what about the residents who don't have family and consider the other residents and staff members their family? i know that times are tough, but these are 28 elderly people. yes, they have other places to go, but that might mean they have to move out of town, away from their family. put yourself in their shoes, how would it make you feel? it really irritates me how this community treats and continues to treat their elderly population, have we forgotten that someday we will ALL be elderly??

my heart is breaking lets move all these people to new opened facility build by Sisters of Mercy since they will be having a hard time, lets help them fill the rooms.

luvmykids, The parking structure top level is empty, no offices are being constructed as we speek, the job has not been put out for bids. Sure eventually they will do stuff with the open space, thats a no brainer, when exactly is up in the air, no dates have been set and thats a fact.

I also work for Mercy so I do know what is being built for our company!

I never said we shouldn't have a cancer center. I was saying it could have been built somewhere else to accomidate all the parking. Yes there are doctors offices being built next to the parking ramp or next to the cancer center. I can't remember where. Drive by there, it has a nice new skywalk and all. I'm not saying that any of these facilities are not needed I'm saying they could have been built somewhere else. I know first hand that a cancer center is needed. I'm not that damn cold hearted thank you very much. So get your own damn clue!

I know for a fact there are going to be offices above the new parking ramp at Mercy Hospital. miltonalum with you working in the health field I'm surprised you don't know. So before you start stating the facts you may want to make sure your correct. And yes I work for Mercy.

-Quote- "Or the new doctors offices by the parking garage. Granted the Hospital has very limited parking but maybe they should have thought about that before they put Mercy West there and the Cancer Center."
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1st of all there are no new doctors office, the upper level is a shell because of the economy. So your saying we should have said "forget the cancer patients lets accomodate the elderly" Whats the difference, both need services equally, there are far more cancer patients that the 29 residents at the facility that is being closed.
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get a clue.....

"Mercy is probably a facility of last resort, just above Rock Haven." Since when did Rock Haven become a last resort below Mercy?!!! Please elaborate!

Regardless of what would be best for the elderly, it obvious that the demand for the level of service that Mercy was able to provide dropped to the point that keeping that service open was no longer prudent. People are opting for the facilities with nicer amenities. Mercy probably was looking at either significantly upgrading ($$$) or shutting down. No option in between. I have to believe the fact that there are plenty of vacancies at nicer facilities played a key part in this decision. Its not like they are kicking people out on the street.

Most people can't afford to retire, or should I say grow old, in this area anyway. The taxes are far too high and the weather sucks. It's no surprise they are seeing declining numbers. As for Mercy, it's a business like everything else. Every time Mercy cares for a patient without insurance, they do charitable work. By law, they can't deny someone treatment. As a result, the whole "do something just to be nice," thing is a bit unfair. We should be happy Mercy is even in Janesburg. The care is better than average (people in this city just don't realize it) and they are our largest employer. Nonetheless, I feel for those seniors and employees who have to move or change jobs. The best of luck to all of them.

I guess that homeless shelter with their name on it must not be "good for the community"

chelleandlou--Just how are they supposed to provide these services without money? Why would any business continue a service that is a huge money loser? Just like your budget at home, you trim the excess first in hopes of not having to make larger cuts. If this helps to keep other (more utilized) services viable, it has to be done.

Mercy = money. Heaven forbid they do anything for the good of the community.

Is it weird that it seems all the mercy senior care 'centers' have been 'eliminated'? Mercy Manor was downsized into the 5th floor of the hospital and it isn't even a nursing home, it's more of a transition center. Then the hospice goes or downsizes, and now the assisted living. I think that maybe there would be some other things that could have gone besides this. Like maybe the fancy new parking garage! Or the new doctors offices by the parking garage. Granted the Hospital has very limited parking but maybe they should have thought about that before they put Mercy West there and the Cancer Center. I feel for these families that have to leave but I hope they find another home that they love just as much and that will treat them with all the respect in the world.

Hey - let's keep in mind that there are other places our seniors can find in the area.

Being punished by Mr. Bea? Look, if you have a beef with Mr. Bea then that is your personal issue but he is doing what he needs to do to keep a health system alive in these recessionary times. I love you folks who never look at the business sense of things. If you constantly follow your heart in business, you will be out of business.

People wanting green space...We waste and waste and waste and wonder why the deficit is so huge. Senior care needs to be affordable not top of the line green spaced property. When I transition from my home to some nursing facility I would like to leave little something behind and not blow it all on high end care with green space. I miss the farming way of life left behind when elderly where taken care of by family in the home. When family meant taking care of each other.

Let the Mercy bashing begin!!

It does seem somewhat odd as geriatric care is a rapidly expanding medical sector, but on the other hand Medicare reimbursements are notoriously stingy. Mercy is probably a facility of last resort, just above Rock Haven.
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One does suspect they have been using attrition to reduce the population. When was the most recent admission?

I don't understand closing all of these senior services when the largest population of elderly will be emerging in the next few years. Are we bing punished by Mr Bea?