Sorry to say, but we believe it’s politics as usual.  How could the City Council deny funding when last summer they voted 11-0 in favor of the Geriatric Authority enactment, knowing the Mayor committed $600,000 to fund McFadden?  Where were the questions then about the old plant, the need for repairs and updates to the building?  Why weren’t they concerned then that the administration was not proactively trying to keep the beds filled?   Did they think the bill would fail before it was enacted?

No one could express enough good words or thank you’s to the local, state and federal officials who worked so hard to make this a reality.  Congressman Markey and his staff have investigated the use of the million dollar grant, provided support and earmarked stimulus money to make this happen.  Senator Tisei and Congressmen Fallon, Donato and Smith worked hard to get the Geriatric Authority enacted (against some interesting obstacles) and focused efforts on getting federal monies for McFadden.  Councilmen Gary Christianson and Greg Lucey have worked hard to find a solution for McFadden to continue in the city of Malden.  They worked behind the scenes to try to make the success happen.  

Also, special thanks to Attorney McPheeters, who has worked 3+ years, pro bono, to find a workable solution to sustain McFadden.  She developed a vision for a Senior Community that would have served all aspects of the senior population of Malden.  Other members of the business community who worked with us pro bono to try to make this happen include:  Bill Rucci and Ron Baptista of Rucci, Badarro and Barrett.  Ron was instrumental in providing various financial projections for McFadden and also took the time to answer my many questions! Thank you!  And thanks to Attorney Rob DeMarco. He helped with the paperwork for making Friends of McFadden a not-for-profit and assisted with our initial presentation to the City Council. 

Also, special thanks to the the Mass Senior Action Council.  Community Organizer, Pam Edwards, worked tirelessly to keep the doors open.  She was able to mobilize the Friends of McFadden to garner community support as well as state and federal support.  Howard McGowan also has supported our efforts in a tireless fashion.  He continuously identified opportunities for solutions to obstacles and kept local business contacts, politicians and friends abreast of the situation and rallied for their support. 

Thank you Sharon Tosto Esker from the Malden Observer.  She covered our weekly meetings, followed up with city and state officials, and always presented our story in an unbiased fashion.  Also thank you to the Editor of the Observer, Amanda Linehan for allowing Sharon to cover our story and now to the new Editor, Natalie Miller for continuing the coverage for us.

The biggest thank you’s go to the residents and employees of McFadden.  Your faith in us making this happen helped fuel our spirits and kept us going.  We are sorry to disappoint you.

And yet, here we are, watching the doors close.  The litany by the councilors who couldn’t support McFadden was painful.  The parking of the Fire Department vehicles in front of city hall was atrocious.  The attendance at the meeting by the uniformed Fire Department personnel was shameful.  They left immediately after the vote……so why were they there? The money the Mayor earmarked was from the leftover capital money from the Senior Center.  It did not come from any operating budget nor did it impact headcount or monies from any department.  It was money earmarked for seniors to be used for seniors. So WHY were the members of the fire department there? New fire trucks vs McFadden?  Election year?

In closing, let’s make the next month as memorable and happy as we can for the residents.  We will plan a huge bash to celebrate them and the employees.  Let’s also do our best to assist in trying to find suitable housing. 

With great sadness,

Val

Also, please contact the Councilors to express your support.   Tell them we must continue to provide quality care in Malden.  Please call and/or email them today.  They vote next Tuesday!

Council President:  Craig Spadafora  781-397-8988      cspadafora@cityofmalden.org

Councilor at Large:   Paul Anderson  781-397-7130     panderson@cityofmalden.org

Councilor at Large:   Greg Lucey   781-605-3290    gregluceyformalden@comcast.net

Ward 1:  Gary Christenson    781-324-4820      gchristenson@cityofmalden.org

Ward 2:   Paul Condon    781-322-9216     pcondon@cityofmalden.org

Ward 3:   Paul DiPietro    781-322-5140    pdipietro@cityofmalden.org

Ward 4:    James Nestor    781-324-2672    jnestor@cityofmalden.org

Ward 5:   John Furlong    781-322-4718    jfurlong@cityofmalden.org

Ward 6:   Neil Kinnon    781-321-1857    nkinnon@cityofmalden.org

Ward 7:   Neil Anderson   781-321-3167    neilanderson7@comcast.net

Ward 8:   Judith Bucci    781-480-4069    ward8info@yahoo.com

Thank you in advance.  Please pass this information on to all family and friends.  We can’t let them close the doors to McFadden…..we must keep our loved ones in their home.

Mayor Howard addressed the City Council last evening (Tuesday, May 12).  He explained to them where the money would come from (capital money left from the Senior Center).  It would not mean any cuts in any department.  Attorney Levine, who is working on the license transfer, also addressed the Council, showing them the projections and plans to make the transfer happen. 

KEEPING MCFADDEN OPEN SAVES THE HOME FOR 61 SENIORS AND DISABLED.  IT ALSO KEEPS 66+ JOBS IN MALDEN.  McFadden is the only nursing home geared to low income people……  IT HAS PROVIDED PHENOMENAL CARE  TO those in need for over 200 years.  It is one of the few facilities IN THE STATE that is not on the Medicare watch list (causing harm to patients).  How can we let this facility be closed?  How do we tell the most vulnerable they must leave their homes?

Please contact the Councilors at Large, your Ward Councilor, and all other Councilors.  Tell them we must continue to provide quality care in Malden.  Please call and/or email them today.  They vote next Tuesday!

Council President:  Craig Spadafora  781-397-8988      cspadafora@cityofmalden.org

Councilor at Large:   Paul Anderson  781-397-7130     panderson@cityofmalden.org

Councilor at Large:   Greg Lucey   781-605-3290    gregluceyformalden@comcast.net

Ward 1:  Gary Christenson    781-324-4820      gchristenson@cityofmalden.org

Ward 2:   Paul Condon    781-322-9216     pcondon@cityofmalden.org

Ward 3:   Paul DiPietro    781-322-5140    pdipietro@cityofmalden.org

Ward 4:    James Nestor    781-324-2672    jnestor@cityofmalden.org

Ward 5:   John Furlong    781-322-4718    jfurlong@cityofmalden.org

Ward 6:   Neil Kinnon    781-321-1857    nkinnon@cityofmalden.org

Ward 7:   Neil Anderson   781-321-3167    neilanderson7@comcast.net

Ward 8:   Judith Bucci    781-480-4069    ward8info@yahoo.com

Thank you in advance.  Please pass this information on to all family and friends.  We can’t let them close the doors to McFadden…..we must keep our loved ones in their home.

Valerie

CONTACT INFO:   friendsofmcfadden@verizon.net     or call me at 978-640-0169   THANKS!!!!!

The Geriatric Authority will not be able to get the license transferred unless they can show the state they can sustain operations while trying to fill the empty beds at McFadden.  For over 2 years the situation has been precarious….will it close?  stay open?    New prospects have been put on “hold” pending the change in status…..that the Geriatric Authority will have the license transferred and the doors will stay open.  They need time, namely 12-18 months to get the beds filled…..  This will take about 1 million to sustain operations……..    

We need to support this endeavor.  Our loved ones’ home must remain.  Let’s keep quality care in Malden.  Circle your calendar for the tentative meeting on Tuesday evening.  we should know this Friday whether they made the City Council agenda.  We will let you know as soon as we know.  Call your Councilors and the Mayor.  Let them know Malden residents want and need to keep quality care in this city. 

  McFadden provides superb care and we cannot let our loved ones be moved out of their home, away from their fellow residents, the staff they love and the home they have known.  The residents of Malden need to let the Mayor and City Councilors know how important this facility is.  Call them and let them know how important McFadden is to the community.  Hope to see you Thursday.

Val 

   HEadcount is low due to the threat of closure.  Who wants to put a loved one in a facility that might close in the next 6 months???   Due to the low headcount, the Board needs about 1.2 million to keep the facility running for the next 12-18 months until the facility is near capacity.  They have plans to hire an administrator who can get the beds filled.

 At the last meeting the board voted to have Attorney McPheeters meet with the Mayor to see how much money he was commiting to McFadden.  About 1 year ago, Mayor Howard attended a Friends of McFadden meeting and told us he was willing to fund $600,000.   Attorney McPheeters should have an answer from the Mayor that she will present Monday.   

Attend the meeting; show your support.  Come with your ideas on how we can make this happen.  If you are aware of any other sources of funding, let us know!!  We need you more than ever.  

Val

We also need contractors and licensed professionals who would volunteer to help with needed repairs.   This would include electricians, plumbers, masons, painters, etc. etc.  If you or anyone you know can help us out, bring the names to the meeting or email them to me at www.friendsofmcfadden.com   Let’s keep this awesome care for our seniors and disabled available in Malden. 

It is so important for us to support their work.  We just mailed letters to Malden residents asking them to sign and mail pre-addressed postcards to Senator Tisei, Representative Fallon and Representative Donato.  We are asking for their help to fund McFadden both through stimulus money and any other means possible.  We need to keep the pressure on, because without funding, the doors may close.  We owe it to the residents and employees to keep this facility open.  Our seniors deserve phenomenal care.

The Friends of McFadden will meet at approximately 5 PM on Monday following the Geriatric AUthority’s public session.  Please come with your ideas on how we can keep McFadden in the limelight and keep the pressure on the city to keep the doors open.  See you Monday.  Happy Holidays!

Val

Attorney Nancy McPheeters, a board member of the recently enacted Geriatric Authority of Malden, gave the group an update on the authority.  The following are the highlights of Attorney McPheeter’s talk:

The Geriatric Authority of Malden was enacted and signed into law at the end of 2008.  In January 2009 the City Council invited Malden citizens to submit their names for serving on the board.  The City Council appointed the following members to serve on the board:  Margaret Clarke, Billy Coleman, Dana Brown, Nancy McPheeters and Maueen Teal.  In addition, by virtue of their positions in the city, Chris DiPietro, Director of Human Servicek, and Chris Webb, Director of Public Health, also serve on the board.  The board began meeting February 9, 2009 and meet almost weekly.

Attorney Levine has been hired to help the authority and the city accomplish the transfer. This includes planning for, documenting and submitting all paperwork necessary for DPH approval.  Once of the key requirements is that the city must make McFadden a Medicare facility before any license is issued.  To make this happen some improvements must be made to the building (e.g. an isolcation room must be added).  Ruth Neeman, of Levi & Wong, is preparing the architectural and engineering plan.  This is being paid by the city.

The next step for the Geriatric Authority is to put together a 12-18 month budget, with one of the outcomes to show that McFadden Manor can be financially viable.  Dick Carr is preparing these reports for the boards review, based on several different scenarios, including new income provided by Medicare reimbursement.

The next meeting of the Geriatric Authority is Monday, March 30 at 4:ooPM in the meeting room at the new Senior Center.   This should be a very informative session as the agenda includes presentations by Ruth Neeman on physical changes and costs necessary for Medicare certification, Attorney Andy Levine on the process to transfer McFadden to the Geriatric Authority, and Dick Carr on the financial viability of transfer to the authority.  The session is open to the public.  Try to attend to learn more and to show your support.

Val