Island Health Director is Go-Between with Island Elder Care Administrators, State DHHS

by maineseacoast | Feb 5, 2018 | Island Health, Maine Seacoast Mission, News, Sunbeam

Island Health Director Sharon Daley is standing fifth person from the right.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2018

For more information:
Contact: Scott K Fish, Communications & Marketing Director
Maine Seacoast Mission
207-458-7185 or [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 5, 2018

For more information:
Contact: Scott K Fish, Communications & Marketing Director
Maine Seacoast Mission
207-458-7185 or [email protected]

Island Health Director is Go-Between with Island Elder Care Administrators, State DHHS

BAR HARBOR — With a group of Maine island elder care Administrators she organized, Mission Island Health Director Sharon Daley traveled to Augusta, January 26, to participate in a Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) meeting on elderly care regulations affecting Maine island residents and caregivers. The group meets a few times each year in Augusta with State regulators “to make things better,” said Director Sharon Daley, who is the go-between among the group Administrators and the State.

The two-hour DHHS meeting agenda included discussion on new State regulations requiring time consuming background checks on caregiver staff members and board members. Compliance is expensive for island elder homes who are sometimes under the same regulations as large nursing homes; regulations that do not fit the island elder homes, and “make it difficult” for administrators, said Daley.

State regulators offered the visiting group ways to relieve the burden of compliance by pointing out features on the State website, and identifying a specific DHHS contact person. “This is a chance for DHHS and administrators to work together, with increased understanding by all parties,” Daley said.

Part of the discussion centered on making sure caregivers are aware of new or changed State regulations, and that caregivers understand the regulations.

Also, when island elder care residents need to travel to the mainland, an elder home staff member must accompany the traveling resident. Attendees shared ways their communities are dealing with this by using grant money and community support for a new staff position.

Finally, the State is looking at rewriting all smaller elder care home regulations. The island administrators submitted suggestions. “We will meet again and continue to have input” on that process, said Director Sharon Daley.

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