MAYVILLE – The latest prospective buyer of the Chautauqua County Home in Dunkirk say they want to expand services in the home and offer better care options for its residents.
During Wednesday night’s Chautauqua County Legislature voting session, Martin and Edward Farbenblum and Shannon Cayea-Delker from VestraCare addressed the county legislature and provided some basic information about their operations as well as the two other skilled nursing facilities they own and operate – which are located in Broome County and Ulster County – both in New York State.
- LISTEN TO FULL AUDIO OF PRESENTATION
While addressing members of the legislature, Edward Farbenblum explained that if the purchase goes through – he and his partners plan to use the model they’ve implemented at their two other facilities here in Chautauqua County. He said that includes expanding services to better treat patients in their care.
“The idea is to provide – off the back of a skilled nursing facility – the full spectrum of modalities of senior care and healthcare, Farbenblum said, adding, “so that every resident and every patient is provided with the appropriate modality of care rather than being sent to the most expensive modality of care.”
Also during their presentation, Cayea-Delker – who serves as the top administrator at the Susquehanna Nursing & Rehab Center in Broome County – said their goal would also be to develop a partnership with local hospitals.
“We have also worked with our local hospitals, which is a big niche for use,” Cayea-Delker explained. “We absolutely want to partner up with our local hospitals to provide programs for congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease…. and disease management to keep people from readmitting to the hospitals – both short term-patients and long-term patients.”
Following their presentation, legislature chairman Jay Gould refused to allow any questions to be asked – saying that would instead wait until a special meeting is scheduled in September. The date and time of that meeting has yet to be scheduled.
According to County Executive Greg Edwards, the group has offered to buy the home at the minimum asking price of $16.5 million. Following Wednesday’s meeting, he expressed his optimism for the latest prospective buyers.
“All of this makes me very excited because I believe this is going to be the right purchaser for our home,” Edwards said. “If you look at their proposal – and that will be distributed here widely – they want to dramatically expand the services that are being offered at the county home. Not just in more rehabilitation as they indicated they have done already in Ulster County, but they want to add assisted living, independent live, adult day care and specific modalities of care for people who have developmental disabilities. That is precisely what we have been looking for all along and I think this is exactly why the people of Chautauqua County should be as excited about this as I am.”
In 2012, the county hired the marketing firm of Marcus & Millichap out of Chicago to help locate a buyer for the home. Earlier this year, an offer had been made by Altitude Health Services of Chicago, but was voted down on two separate occasions by the legislature. Altitude Health offered to buy the home at a price of $16.5 million. Earlier this month, a second buyer came forward and also offered $16.5 million, but that deal was pulled from the table when the buyer failed to make a 10 percent good-faith deposit.
The latest group toured the Chautauqua County Home earlier in the day on Wednesday. It’s not yet know if the legislature will act on their bid to buy the home in October or November.
[…] – along with a question and answer session – with representatives of VestraCare. The group was first introduced to the legislature at the August 28 County Legislature meeting. It has offered to by the county home at a price of $16.5 […]