Ally Sapp, RN Patient Care Coordinator

11/20/2023

Starting today, you can order an additional 4 free covid tests at covidtests.gov. If you have not ordered any this fall, you are eligible to place 2 orders for a total of 8 free tests per household! I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

10/16/2023

Medicare is the gold standard. Please don't trade it for anything no matter what they call it. Check with your loved ones to make sure they understand the difference!

10/06/2023

The families of residents of Danville Care Center are navigating uncharted territory as they transition their loved ones from their home to new nursing homes. I am a care coordinator and specialize in transition management. I can ensure your loved ones have everything they need in their new environments including medications, equipment, and any special needs. You might be surprised at what can be lost in the shuffle when someone moves from one facility to another. Contact me today to help make your loved one’s transition as seamless as possible!

10/06/2023

This breaks my heart for the community of Danville and all of the nursing home's residents and employees. When I was a case manager at Great River Hospice, I spent a lot of time in this nursing home. I fell in love with the tight knit community of workers and residents. It was like they were all one big family. They were hit so hard at the beginning of the pandemic, they never fully recovered.

Danville Care Center Nursing Home is Shutting Down

By Beacon Staff

The Danville Care Center is closing its doors – permanently.

The operator of the care facility, Marc Johnson, confirmed the closure to The Beacon Thursday, Oct. 5.

Johnson doesn’t have an exact timeline for when the facility will close, he said it will be soon.

Employees were working to place residents of the 40-bed facility elsewhere Thursday, Johnson said. He said it will be a multiple-day process.

Johnson runs the care center through Cardinal Care Co. in Keokuk, which he founded as a non-profit in 2012.

Johnson said the slide towards permanent closure started with COVID-19. He said the facility could only house half of its usual patients for two years, which did significant damage to the nursing home's finances. According to Johnson, several other financial factors were also in play to the point where the facility could no longer support itself.

“It is extremely upsetting for me for me that the nursing home is closing. I had reached out for financial assistance from several entities, without success. Staff and the state of Iowa and the ombudsman are assisting and discharging residents today,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the staff of nurses have continued to work despite the circumstances -- some who have been with the care facility opened. He said the facility won’t close until every resident has been properly discharged.

"With the sad closure of the Danville Care Facility, other facilities will gain great employees, and will be able to fill their beds and have more revenue," Johnson said.

According to the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals data, the most recent action involving the facility was a complaint revisit and FIC (focused infection control) revisit on June 6, 2023. All deficiencies found during a prior survey ending March 2, 2023, were found to have been corrected and the facility was considered to be in "substantial compliance" effective March 8, 2023. That survey had resulted in fines of $5,500 and a directed plan of correction was imposed; after a state waiver of 35%, the total imposed fine was $3,575.

This story will be updated as more details become available.

Photo by William Smith

(Copyright © 2023 Burlington Beacon)

09/28/2023

What is a gap in care? A gap in care happens when the care a patient receives is inconsistent with the recommended best practices. What does this look like? A patient being discharged from rehab too soon or without proper assistance at home, a patient being discharged without all the medication prescriptions, a primary care provider not referring the patient to the proper specialists or ordering the proper tests are all examples of gaps in care. I have personally seen all of these examples happen to friends and family. Have you been the victim to a gap in care? Comment below!

09/26/2023

My goal is to care for you and your family by providing advocacy and support as you navigate our complicated healthcare system. I want to ensure you receive the care and treatment you need and deserve. I will identify your priorities and coordinate services to achieve those goals. Services offered include symptom management, education, resources, goals of care conversations, IPOST completion (Iowa's form to designate patient preferences regarding life-sustaining treatment), level of care evaluation, transitional care management, medication reconciliation, and health record review. Contact me today for a free consultation to help you understand what services would benefit you and your family!

09/26/2023

Hi! I’m Ally. I’m a registered nurse who has been serving the communities of Southeast Iowa since 2012. My expertise includes home care, palliative care, hospice care, and long-term care. Over the past several years, I have helped many patients, family members and friends navigate our complex healthcare system. I have witnessed that our providers are overwhelmed and don’t have the time necessary to give patients the tools they need to be successful. The pandemic has exacerbated this burden and patients are falling through the cracks. There are many gaps in care that insurance and Medicare do not cover, creating more hurdles for patients and families. It is my goal to fill in those gaps and help patients and families attain outcomes aligned with their goals.