Published June 2002

CascadeValley eyes cutting Medicaid tenants

By John Wolcott
Herald Business Journal Editor

The need for assisted-living facilities continues to grow in Snohomish County, and CascadeValley Senior Living in Arlington plays an important role in meeting that need.

Even though it provides only 54 apartments, in a quiet setting south of town at 8400 207th Place NE, CascadeValley helps to ease the shortage of assisted-living housing for seniors. But, even more important to the increasing number of low-income seniors in Snohomish County is CascadeValley’s acceptance of Medicaid residents, who fill nearly half of the building.

The bad news is that the owners of CascadeValley may soon have to reduce the number of Medicaid tenants they accept in Washington state, or even stop accepting them totally.

“When Governor Locke’s budget was changed to make up the state’s deficit, he slashed payments to nursing homes and assisted-living facilities,” said CascadeValley Administrator Roger Holbrook. “We’ll be losing an additional $2,000 a month in revenue now, and we were already losing money. If you watched your wallet get thinner and thinner each month, what would you do?”

The owner of CascadeValley Senior Living is LifeStyles LLC, a privately owned health-care business based in Vancouver, Wash., with 12 facilities in this state, Oregon, California and Wyoming.

“The owners see a need (for serving low-income seniors who need assisted living), so they do it, even though people on Medicaid require more paperwork and the pay is less. But there is a limit,” Holbrook said. He noted that most of the assisted-living facilities in the Snohomish County market now accept only private payments from individuals or their families.

“Five years ago, the state was begging people to expand assisted-living facilities and promised them funding if they did that. This year, they said if you don’t have more than 50 percent of your residents receiving state aid, your payments will be cut. If I had that many on Medicaid, I’d go bankrupt,” he said.

For those who reside at CascadeValley, the lifestyle is comfortable, the building modern, the flower gardens colorful, and the staff is friendly and caring, Holbrook said. Opened in 1995, the Arlington facility added 11 apartments in 1999 and refurbished and enlarged the dining area.

Features include private studio and one-bedroom apartments with private baths, laundry facilities, three daily meals cooked in the facility’s kitchen, weekly housekeeping, a 24-hour supervisory staff and emergency call system, scheduled transportation, and planned activities and social programs.

“We’re a moderately small assisted-living facility, small enough to be very personal,” Holbrook said. “We have nurses here during the week and on call other days. Our typical resident needs a bit of assistance, such as reminders to come to meals or assistance for showering.”

Activities include arts and crafts, Bible studies, barbecues, and van trips to places such as Skagit County’s tulip fields and a variety of other destinations. As baby boomers get older, he said, there will be an even greater need for assisted living.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people didn’t know how much it would cost (by the time they needed it) and don’t have the funds for it,” Holbrook said. “Right now, the biggest trend in the industry is just trying to make sure there are enough beds (for the demand), including those who have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.”

The flowery landscaping, walking paths and salmon spawning creek are attractions on the premises that add calmness and serenity to the residents’ environment, Holbrook said.

“It’s small enough here that everyone knows one another and watches out for each other,” he said.

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