Craven takes action on Respite program, nursing home panel

April 21--The Craven County Board of Commissioners on Monday tackled some of the challenges faced by Craven County's aging population and their families, caregivers and those who protect their rights at nursing homes.

After asking earlier this month for more information from the Craven County Department of Social Services about a Respite program that it hopes to start to help full-time family caregivers, the board got its answers and approved budget amendments for $14,366 to help make that happen.

There has been no adult day care operation in Craven County for about eight years, Deputy DSS Director Alfreda Stout said. In talking with groups such as the Area Agency on Aging, CarolinaEast Medical Center and the Alzheimer's Association, the need for such a program has become evident.

The proposed Respite program would allow 24/7 family caregivers to bring handicapped seniors to the George Street Senior Center for a two hours, three days a week, thereby letting caregivers to run errands or care for other needs. The program also will allow families to keep their loved ones at home longer.

Stout and DSS Director Kent Flowers explained how the Respite program, which is providing $8,000 to help with renovation startup costs, could help with up to nine seniors and their primary caregivers.

In voting to approve the transfers, all of which are state or federal dollars, Commissioner Scott Dacey said he was more inclined to support it because Commissioner Steve Tyson has identified a private provider who can start up such a service.

Stout said, "As soon as he can provide the service, we'll step out."

The board also tackled the issue of nursing home inspection visits.

Commissioners and members of the Craven County Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee consider that committee's job important for proper care of aging residents, but getting and keeping members for the panel is a tough job, too.

The volunteer committee is charged with helping to maintain the spirit and intent of the Nursing Home Patient's Bill of Rights and to promote community involvement and cooperation with nursing homes as well as helping to integrate the homes into a system of health care for the elderly.

In presenting the committee's request for approval of its revised bylaws, Chairman Alvia Hearren said some of the changes come because it is often difficult to get a quorum for quarterly inspections of the five nursing homes in the county.

The facilities include Cherry Point Bay in Havelock, River Point Crest on Old Cherry Point Road, Bayview, and the two Uni-Health facilities near CarolinaEast, she said.

The committee now has only five members, one of whom is ill, and it needs seven to 12 members to operate more smoothly.

"We can do the visits in two days with a minimum of three hours per visitation," Hearren said. "But if we don't have enough, we have to change our visitation times."

The advisory committee inspections are required by state statute, and the panel operates with bylaws they share with commissioners. The county board's function is to appoint its members.

Dacey made several bylaw suggestions that Hearren said the advisory committee will consider at its Tuesday meeting.

Chairman Tom Mark said, "We are working to fill these appointments."

In other business Monday, commissioners:

*Approved an easement exchange on land owned by Charles and Amanda Oakley to be used for the county water treatment plant project. The easements are held by the City of New Bern. The city's Board of Aldermen is scheduled to act on the exchange at its Tuesday night meeting.

*Finalized through a second vote of approval the medical transport franchise with Friendly Medical Transportation, LLC, and revocation of a franchise with Coastline Care.

Sue Book can be reached at 252-635-5665 or sue.book@newbernsj.com. Follow her on Twitter@SueJBook.

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