Nursing Homes / Long-Term Care Facilities / Assisted Living

Senate lawmakers have rejected a proposal to fully fund nursing homes in South Dakota.

SDPB's Lee Strubinger brings an update on the top headlines from the beginning of the legislative session. Where are we at now that the session is winding down?

A spokesperson blamed the closure on staffing issues, Medicaid underfunding, and the continued impact of COVID-19.

State lawmakers convene on January 10 to start crafting the state budget.

Another nursing home in South Dakota will close. Nursing home advocates point to Medicaid reimbursement as the main reason long-term care facilities’ doors are shutting.

Rural nursing homes are closing at a fast rate. And as they do, entire communities feel the loss. This story is part of South Dakota Focus: The Uncertain Future of Nursing Homes.

Mark Deak is the executive director of the South Dakota Health Care Association. It’s a lobbying organization that represents many of the state’s long-term care facilities. He says there is a range of challenges facing the industry today.

Medicaid reimbursement and staffing challenges were real for long-term care facilities even before the pandemic. The Walworth County Care Center in Selby is an anomaly. It survived after the Good Samaritan Society announced it would shut down the facility four years ago.

In Deuel County, the shutdown of Clear Lake’s nursing home has made some people angry. They blame state lawmakers and the Good Samaritan Society. In some ways, the loss is even stronger because of the community’s long history with the organization.

Another South Dakota nursing home is closing its doors. Today, Avantara announced the upcoming closure of its nursing home in Armour.