For many years, private nursing homes such as the Brandywine Assisted Living at the Savoy have reaped huge benefits from families who want their elderly members to enjoy the remainder of their lives under professional care. Savoy boasts of its “affordability” and its elegant environment that puts even luxurious hotels to shame. Located on the Queens / Nassau border, it is home more to members of the wealthier community of Long Island than to members of the Little Neck neighborhood. With today’s recession, however, it is private nursing homes feeling the squeeze of the drying economy. Hotel-like living quarters and care come at a price that many struggling households can no longer afford to pay. With families now turning away from its private care for more affordable state care right across the street at the Little Neck Nursing Home, Savoy is losing both residents and prospective clients alike.
For Savoy and nursing homes across the United States, the dilemma they now face is how to reduce costs without worsening the care and comfort they offer to their residents. Gardens must be well kept, dining rooms must replicate upscale restaurants, furniture must be in pristine conditions, and on-site nurses must remain on-site 24/7– nothing, ultimately, can be compromised because it is these conditions that Savoy boasts and guarantees. It is these factors that appeal to families in search of new homes for their aging loved ones. The largest challenge that Savoy must resolve as soon as possible is finding a perfect balance between the two. Having more volunteers, while helpful, is not the solution because volunteers have neither the training nor the qualifications to take care of Savoy’s elderly residents. For now, this question still remains unanswered.
(Can be found in the Daily News, Business section of New York Times)
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