In reading "Guilderland nursing home fined $76,000," Dec. 14, I see that the Guilderland Center Nursing Home has once again been fined for violations.
This is one facility that keeps getting bailed out. Earlier this year, Albany County agreed to a repayment deal for more than $1 million in delinquent taxes, allowing the facility to remain open.
Yet, the Albany County Legislature and County Executive Dan McCoy can't decide whether to keep the Albany County Nursing Home or privatize it.
I spoke at a budget hearing, as well as dozens of others, supporting the nursing home as it is. I have also suggested going to local agencies to ask for help in running it. But we keep hearing that the unions make such an arrangement impossible. If the current workers are so caring and worried about their jobs, maybe they would welcome some new avenues to pursue.
That said, I'm still amazed that the County Legislature can't find other areas to trim. Is it politics or interest?
When I worked in the private sector, each person was visited by a private auditor every other year and asked to describe his/her job, how it fit in the production process, and how standards were maintained. Comparatively, it scares me to see how all this is being handled.
What is going to happen to our senior community? We can't expect our children to quit their jobs and be stay-at-home caregivers. They can't afford it now, and things are only going to get worse.
Albany County needs help and I pray someone will jump in and rescue us.
LINDA CARMAN
Berne