(Radio Iowa) – The leaders of two Iowa health care groups say they’re concerned about the pending closure of the state-run Glenwood Resource Center for residents with profound disabilities. After a federal investigation of how residents were being treated, state officials announced the facility would close in 2024. Di Findley is the founder of Iowa CareGivers, an advocacy group for health care workers and those who receive care. While Findley understands ending institutional care is a priority, she says transferring Glenwood residents to community or home-based care will be difficult.

“I don’t know who’s going to do that work,” Findley says. Findley says many of the families of Glenwood residents will not be equipped to provide direct care.  “I have serious concerns about how people are going to be able to access good care in the home,” Findley says, “(to) keep them safe.” Brent Willett is president and C-E-O of the Iowa Health Care Association. It represents nursing homes, the primary destination as al Glenwood Resource Center residents are transferred by the end of 2024.

“The priority is being on placing them in the community, which we absolutely support,” Willett says. “The concern that we have is that the infrastructure is not there and the timeline is aggressive just for these folks.” Willett says his association would like to see deep new investment in the facilities and services that are caring for frail and elderly Iowans  “The 30,000 people in nursing homes across the state of Iowa have some of the highest acuity levels, which is their level of illness, than any other state in the country,” Willett says. “…We need to face that reality that folks that are in nursing homes overwhelmingly cannot return home, and so we simply cannot have a long-term care continuum without a robust nursing facility system to support and care for those individuals.”

Willett and Findley made their comments during a recent episode of “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.

(Radio Iowa) – A key fundraiser for the American Cancer Society is making a comeback in Iowa this summer. Relay For Life events are being held across the state again where cancer survivors, caregivers and supporters walk around a track for pledges. Tina Morrison is spokeswoman for the Iowa branch of the American Cancer Society. “COVID has kind of changed our overview of Relay in the last couple of years,” Morrison says. “We still want to make sure that everybody is safe from COVID. We didn’t have a relay for a couple of years due to that reason and we did things a little bit differently.”

In past years, Relay For Life events would features dozens, even hundreds, of people walking around tracks for a certain number of laps or minutes to raise money. Morrison says she’s is grateful to see the event returning to communities across Iowa. “Unfortunately, since COVID is going to be a part of our life forever, we’re just trying to get back in the swing of things,” Morrison says, “and maybe get back to that four or five hour relay, just a little by little, get back to that and what it what it used to be.”

Relays are planned in the coming weeks in several Iowa cities, including: Mt. Pleasant on August 19th, Bettendorf on September 10th, Fairfield on September 13th, Burlington on September 25th, Washington on October 1st, Fort Madison on October 7th, and Boone on October 21st. Learn more at: relayforlife.org

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a disaster proclamation for Allamakee, Clayton, Harrison, Shelby, and Winneshiek counties in response to recent severe weather. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to, and recover from, the effects of this severe weather.

In addition, the proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents, along with the Disaster Case Management Program, for those five counties. The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website at https://dhs.iowa.gov/disaster-assistance-programs. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

The Disaster Case Management Program addresses serious needs related to disaster-related hardship, injury, or adverse conditions. Disaster case managers work with clients to create a disaster recovery plan and provide guidance, advice, and referral to obtain a service or resource. There are no income eligibility requirements for this program; it closes 180 days from the date of the governor’s proclamation. For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.

UPDATE – 7-25-2022: Montgomery County Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Hamman, today (Monday) reports “After a joint investigation by the Red Oak Fire Department and Iowa State Fire Marshall’s Office, the cause and manner of the apartment fire has been determined to be an accident and electrical in nature.”

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At approximately 2:14pm, Sunday, the Montgomery County Communications Center received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting an upstairs apartment fire at 615 N 3rd Street in Red Oak, located just north of the downtown square. Officers of the Red Oak Police Department arrived on scene immediately and confirmed all occupants were out of the structure prior to Red Oak Fire arriving on scene. Red Oak Fire arrived on scene within 4 minutes of being paged and requested a second alarm structure fire response bringing additional crews from the Stanton Fire Department, Elliott Fire Department and additional aerial support from the Glenwood Fire Department.

Photos courtesy Brian Hamman, Montgomery County Emergency Management.

Fire crews made an immediate and aggressive interior attack of the fire and were able to contain the fire to the origin apartment. Smoke and water damage is throughout the entire structure.
The American Red Cross was contacted to assist five displaced adults due to the fire.

No injuries to any occupants or firefighters on scene however two cats were located deceased and unable to be revived at the scene after attempts were made