PC 071311 - Laserfiche WebLink

Carol Bush, Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley, stated that she cares for families who care for their aging loved ones. She indicated that their goal is to keep people in their homes independently as long as possible, and when they can no longer be independent, they step in and try to help the family find other resources. She noted that that seniors are aging in place, and their income at 80 years old may only be what they had when they retired 20 years ago, between $800 and $3000 a month. She added that those with very low income in Pleasanton live in six senior housing facilities, which house a total of approximately 400 to 500 people. She stated that there are two assisted living facilities that cost more, with about 150 people living therein, and a third option is residential care homes of which there are about 10 to 15 in Pleasanton with a total of about 80 residents. She stated that the cost of caring for people living in their own homes and getting 24-hour care with a caregiver is anywhere from $225 to $300 a day; a 24-hour residential care home costs $3,000 to $4,500 a month; and a skilled nursing facility can run from $7000 to $8000 a month. Ms. Bush stated that she sees well over 100 people every year who are looking for a resource where they could put their loved ones. She indicated that she has a number of people currently residing at the Generations HealthCare, and she marvels at modifications they have made and how well they have improved the facility. She noted that skilled nursing facilities like Generations HealthCare provide long-term care for people with low income through Medical. She added that it is an advantage for Pleasanton to have that available for people, and to lose ten beds would be highly critical. She urged the Commission not only to keep the ten beds in the facility but to encourage the addition of a second story. Ms. Bush noted that parking has been brought up as a huge issue, but stated that she has encountered difficulty only during shift changes. She added that people who have parking problems in the neighborhood should look at Lighthouse Baptist Church who have no parking, and should consider eliminating Concerts in the Park, Farmers Market, Alameda County Fair, Parkview Assisted Living Facility, schools, and restaurants on Main. John Moore stated that he is speaking on behalf of his father, a resident of Room 213 of the Pleasanton Convalescent Hospital for four years. He indicated that his dad is the father of eight children and enjoys karaoke, bingo, and occasional Elvis sightings at the Hospital. He noted that in September-October of last year, his dad experienced two serious infections, and he was bounced back and forth between the hospital and Pleasanton Convalescent Hospital. He stated that he was at the Hospital when his dad arrived via ambulance the second time, and right after they got back to his bedroom, Maria, the then Director of Nursing, welcomed his dad back with a huge smile, and his dad, who never cried before, started crying because he was happy to be home again. He stated that one has to realize that for these seniors residing there, this is their home and the last stop for many of them on their journey through life. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, July 13, 2011 Page 15 of 21