Editor’s note: Thecity1.com‘s new Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey updated his late-July 2020 feature about Harbor Crest Home in Fulton, IL. His photo was taken on Saturday, September 5, “just as the bus was leaving, to transfer the final residents to Savanna,” he stated. Click here to read the Harbor Crest Home Board of Directors press release.
Below read comments form past and current staff.
“While I was Editor of the Fulton Journal, I accepted a Facebook invitation to attend a “community meeting” at Fulton Bethesda Lutheran Church, orchestrated by the Harbor Crest Home Board of Directors. The two hours that followed offered anything but the information I expected to gather and, perhaps, use in an article.
“The meeting was opened by Secretary Larry Russell stating the Board was seeking community input on current operations at Harbor Crest. Those present consisted of caring sons, daughters, and grandchildren of current and past Harbor Crest residents, plus seven current and past employees.
“As the conversations opened, emotions were controlled. Incidents of resident treatments that family members questioned were at a minimum. Constructive solutions were being requested. When family members delivered story-after-story of resident mistreatment or questionable actions being performed, a consistent attack of Administrator Myra Chatic grew in volume.
“Many of the qualities that describe a ‘select’ nursing home were being challenged. Attendees were seeking answers about problems, that obviously the Board of Directors was unable to provide:
- inability to maintain staff members
- failure to keep activity options for residents
- employees doubting the Supervisor’s competence and commitment
- poor communication with residents’ families
- limited financial management expertise.
“These were only a few of the charges that filled the room, as volumes heightened, and emotional tears flowed.
“Soon, negative, emotional comments took a turn, and attacks were directed at the Board members. People questioned why they hadn’t enacted any action to control some of the outrageous situations that existed within the confines of this nursing home. Harbor Crest Home was founded and supported by local churches of the Fulton area.
“Were resolutions formed to correct or improve the situation within Harbor Crest? No! Were families and employees glad to have their complaints acknowledged? Yes! Did the meeting surface material from which action plans can be formed? For sure! Will the concerns of family and employees relating to mismanagement be changed and/or improved? To be determined!
“Was the love of the residents foremost in the hearts of the attendees–family and staff? Definitely!”
Quoted below are comments the Editor received from Harbor Crest Home (HCH) current and past staff, during the traumatic week of Wednesday, September 2, through Friday, September 4.
“HCH[‘s announcement] was placed on Facebook about them closing down. Most of what they say is [inaccurate].”
State of Illinois rules for Medical Providers “states …that notice must be given 60 days before” such changes are made. “They gave notice less than two days.”
“So what is going to happen to the residents?….My grandma is one of them….We haven’t heard anything about this yet.”
“Sad day for Fulton residents, as I received word today that HCH is closing by the end of the week.”
“I don’t know what happened over the last eight years, but it was always one of my favorite places when I worked for hospice!”
“The stuff I’ve heard about this place, it’s probably for the best.”
“When I started there 20 years ago, they had 85 residents with a waiting list. It was a joy to work there. Gradually, it started downhill. By the time I left, Myra [Chatic , Administrator] had just been hired. I guess things haven’t gone well since then!”
“Where was the Board of Directors, who [are] supposed to monitor this stuff? Sad!”
“I saw it coming when I was on the Board. When I tried to talk to the President of the board at that time, he hung up on me.
“It just makes me so angry, that this small facility that provided a good service for a small town, [was run] into the ground! There were warning bells, but they were ignored. And no proper notice was given of the closure.”
“The amount of former and current staff of Harbor Crest who are saddened in the closing of this facility speaks, in itself, [of] the selfless care we [strove] to give. I was an emotional, frustrated employee, who had enough of the absolute mishap, that occurred for over a decade, under the administration. I was told I had caused irreparable damage to Harbor Crest by a Board member, in my letters and words about administration. Yet, lack of staff, funds, many reports of issues to the State were dismissed. My stubborn pursuit to push the information out was more harmful. To whom? Harbor Crest could have been saved years ago. I wasn’t the first to blow the whistle. I pray families know former and current staff put their soul into that place, and administration has officially run it into the ground. I love that little home, all the workers, and each resident in it. My first job, favorite job, my discovery of my love for helping people.”