ST. PAUL – Nursing homes in House District 12A have begun receiving shares of the $300 million infusion in state funding Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, supported and the Legislature provided last May.
Anderson said the funding is a step toward stabilizing Minnesota’s struggling long-term care industry, with nursing homes closing across the state and others on the financial brink. Families are waiting months and looking up to four hours away to find a safe place for loved ones, he said, indicating a worker shortage has left around 25 percent of nursing home caregiver jobs vacant.
“This welcome funding will certainly help our nursing homes and provide them with some additional dollars to improve their cash flows,” Anderson said. “Finding the workers necessary to operate on a daily basis has been a challenge. This funding will help attract and retain those important staff members who take care of our elderly residents.”
Anderson said he is pleased House Republicans successfully negotiated increased funding for nursing homes after Gov. Tim Walz and House Democrats dedicated just $3.9 million to new nursing home funding in their original budget proposals for the new biennium.
Appleton Area Health ($413,776), Belgrade Nursing Home ($361,561), Glenwood Village Care Center ($482,057), Essentia Health Grace Home in Graceville ($385,661), West Wind Village in Morris ($514,189), Fairway View Neighborhoods in Ortonville ($429,842), and Minnewaska Lutheran Home in Starbuck ($381,644) received the first half of those funding totals earlier this month, with the remaining portions due Aug. 1, 2024.
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