We the undersigned are uniting to save the Barone Alzheimer's Care Center (BACC, Barone), specifically to preserve the Dr. Paul L. Barone Medical Building, which is essential to BACC’ s long-term care services and programs that serve current residents, those now on the BACC waiting list, and those of us who will require BACC’s specialized Alzheimer’s care in the future.
   
BACC is a building specifically designed, constructed, and dedicated for care of persons afflicted with what today is broadly classified as Alzheimer’s disease. Most importantly, it’s also a united, loving family, The BACC Family, comprises thirty years of residents, employees, family and friends of the residents, and citizens of BACC’s Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas service area. BACC is a staple and the heart of the Greater Nevada Community.    

On November 8, 2021, families of current residents at BACC received a sudden notice that within 24 hours The City Convalescent Home Board (Long Term Care Board, LTCB) would recommend closing the present BACC building due to “financial hardships”. 

No specifics were given to the families of current residents regarding the actual financial hardships or itemized programmatic or maintenance costs required to maintain BACC.  

It is difficult to send your loved one with dementia to a long-term care center, but Barone provides excellent care, is like a family and is the heart of the community.  

The timing of Barone’s proposed closure is not being implemented with full transparency by the LTCB.  

We the undersigned have many concerns some of which are the following:
A.     Why was maintenance deferred two, three, four, five years; a period when several million dollars were available in the city treasury to the credit of the convalescent home fund?
 
B.     Why were the residents, families, and the community not made aware of the BACC building’s deferred maintenance issues before they became “financial hardships”?
 
 C.    Transitioning a resident with dementia to another facility is not as simple or without risk as the LTCB is suggesting.  There is an increased risk of mortality and there are specific rules and regulations mandated by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services that the LTCB seemingly has not even considered.
 
D.    The option to move BACC residents and staff to Moore-Few Care Center (Moore-Few) is not a feasible option for many of the residents and is not suited for persons with dementia. Currently, MFCC does not have a locked or secured unit. 

Within the next 10 years, there will be a significant increase of residents with dementia.  It is therefore an implicit mandate of the LTCB to implement the mission of BACC and seek viable solutions in full transparency with the community to keep the doors open for current residents at the current location, for those on the waiting list, and for the needs of the community in the future.  

We the undersigned are uniting to request that the Nevada, MO, Mayor and City Council direct the LTCB to:

A.     Identify and itemize date, dollar amount, and source each and all monies from taxes, donations, and whatever source collected or received that were deposited in the city treasury to the credit of the convalescent home fund throughout the period January, 1, 2015, until November, 30, 2021 and openly share these data with the public,
 
B.     Identify and itemize by name, date, dollar amount, by whom, and to whom each and all monies withdrawn, transferred, or taken from the city treasury convalescent home fund throughout the period January, 1, 2015, until November, 30, 2021, and openly share these data with the public.
 
C.     Itemize the name and dollar amount of each and all needed maintenance repairs of the present BACC building, and openly share these data with the public.
 
D.     Create and share a financial Balance Sheet for November 1, 2021, listing, individually by name and amount all current assets dedicated to BACC; including all endowment funds, Foundation funds, Certificates of Deposit, and all other financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, and investments; and liabilities including potential costs of repairs needed for the current BACC building, and openly share these data with the public
 
E.     Identify, and openly share these data with the means to acquire potential funding opportunities to sustain BACC at its present location, including a capital campaign, grants, taxes, donation of time by skilled tradesmen, designation of foundation funds, and creating an endowment for BACC.

If the current LTCB continues to be single minded to close the present BACC building, or is unwilling or not able to carry out their responsibilities, we the undersigned request that the Mayor and City Council working with Barone, the community and a newly constituted Long-Term Care Board, create a strategic plan to sustain BACC at its present location.   
Sincerely,
Citizens Uniting to Save Barone Alzheimer's Care Center