July 15, 2006
By Katie Baldwin
Construction on an Assisted Living Home in the YK Delta for elders and adults with disabilities may be just beyond the horizon.
"Establishing an assisted living home is important because we have an aging population in our region and we don't have a facility where we can take care of them properly," said Gene Peltola, CEO of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation.
Despite the fact that the elderly make up one of the fastest growing populations in the YK Delta, the region remains as the only area in Alaska that has no long-term assisted living facility.
Currently, elders who need this type of comprehensive health care are forced to move to facilities in Anchorage or Fairbanks. This can be a tremendous burden on the individual and their families, especially on those who speak English as a second language.
In November of 2001, several local agencies met to discuss the establishment of an assisted living home in Bethel. A market and feasibility study followed, verifying a need for the facility. Preliminary drawings were made and the City of Bethel approved a 30-year land lease at a site located south of the Lu-Lu Herron Building on Ptarmigan street.
YKHC has obtained $8.3 million to fund the project. However, the funding requires a 30 percent match. Without the match $2.8 million is still needed to meet the preliminary construction cost estimate, which YKHC is likely to finance.
Providing services once construction is completed will be partially funded by Medicaid and other possible resources. Residents will pay for lodging and meals unless housing subsidies are secured, an option YKHC is currently looking into.
Operating costs are expected to exceed reimbursements by as much as $500,000 annually. This will require YKHC to decrease services or slow the expansion of services in other areas. However, the YKHC Board of Directors deems the home a necessity in response to the increasing needs of our elders.
"A lot of people expressed concerns about sending away their elders and losing advice and knowledge about the region," said YKHC Board Chair Ray Alastrom. "It also helps the individuals who are going into the homes to know the people in the area and have access to their traditional foods."
The 18-bed facility will be a congregate residential setting with personal and health care services, including 24-hour supervision and assistance.
At the request of the Denali Commission, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation resubmitted their business plan on Friday, June 30. Construction plans will be made later this summer, pending the Denali Commission's final analysis.
The anticipated completion of the project is 2008.