A4 Opinion wallowa.com June 24, 2015 Wallowa County Chieftain Tell public what’s up at WVSL A n unpleasant episode for three Wallowa Valley Senior Living residents and their families appears to have reached a less troubling end as WVSL has suddenly backed off from UHTXLULQJWKHUHVLGHQWVWR¿QGQHZGLJV3UHGLFWDEO\GD\QRWLFHV WVSL tendered the three — all of whom had moved over to EDITORIAL WKHVSDQNLQJQHZWD[IXQGHG IDFLOLW\IURPWKHZRUQRXWIRUPHU The voice of the Chieftain hospital annex across town where nursing care was offered — sparked public outcry. Although Senior Living has now been in business two years, it continues to encounter some mistrust from a public that never bought in fully to the idea that nursing care can no longer be part of the program here. So far, the episode that just played out RQO\VHUYHVWRFRQ¿UPFULWLFV¶PRVWQHJDWLYHYLHZVUHJDUGOHVVRI ZKHWKHUWKHVHZHUHRULJLQDOO\ZHOOIRXQGHG$QGSHUKDSVEHFDXVH the controversy involves questions about care levels afforded (or QRWDIIRUGHGWRNQRZQWKRXJKQRWSXEOLFO\LGHQWL¿HGLQGLYLGXDOV the Wallowa County Health Care District is appearing a mite tentative in its public response to the issues raised. The district allotted approximately 20 minutes to the matter at its June 22 board meeting – enough time for affected family members to air their grievances in some detail, at times reading from prepared statements — but it was clear that little of substance would be LPPHGLDWHO\IRUWKFRPLQJIURPGLVWULFWRI¿FLDOVWKHPVHOYHV ,WPD\EHWKDWOLDELOLW\ZRUULHVNHHSRI¿FLDOVIURPVSHDNLQJ FDQGLGO\WRWKHSXEOLFEXWWKDW¶VXQIRUWXQDWHIRUDOORIXVEHFDXVHD IHZNH\TXHVWLRQVMXVWZRQ¶WJRDZD\ For instance: What was the deciding factor in rescinding the GD\QRWLFHV"'LGVWDWHRUORFDORI¿FLDOVGHWHUPLQHWKHIDFLOLW\ indeed bore a kind of “grandfathering” obligation to these three UHVLGHQWVEHFDXVHWKH\KDGPRYHGIURPWKHQXUVLQJKRPH"2U ZHUHLQGLYLGXDODVVHVVPHQWVRIWKHVHUHVLGHQWV¶UHVSHFWLYHOHYHOVRI QHHGHGFDUHHDFKLQVHULRXVHUURU" And, most important: What has the district learned, and what VWHSVDUHEHLQJWDNHQWRHQVXUHWKDWUHVLGHQWVZRQ¶WEHZURQJO\ QRWL¿HGLQWKHIXWXUH" Sorry, health care district, but we do need to know. –RCR Shame this ranch, please 5 DQFKR6DQWD)HDZHOOKHHOHGHQFODYHLQ&DOLIRUQLD¶V6DQ 'LHJR&RXQW\XVHV¿YHWLPHVWKHZDWHUSHUFDSLWDDVWKH UHVWRIWKHVWDWHDFFRUGLQJWRWKH:DVKLQJWRQ3RVW7KH 3RVWIRXQGQRVKRUWDJHRIUHVLGHQWVRQWKHUDQFK²DVWKHWRZQ is known by residents — who are on record that the drought is IRUWKHOLWWOHSHRSOHZKRFDQ¶WDIIRUGWKHZDWHU 6WHYH