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1 News Release NEWS RELEASE IMMEDIATE RELEASE****** Contacts: Bobbe Fitzhugh, [PHONE REDACTED], [EMAIL REDACTED] CONVERSE COUNTY LONG-TERM CARE PLAN DOUGLAS, Wyo. – Does Converse County need an assisted living center? Are there other types of long term housing care in the community, such as memory care units or more independent living units that would improve our ability to meet the needs of an aging population? These were just two of the questions posed to the Converse County Long-Term Care Steering Committee at a kick-off meeting on October 23, 2013. Today’s elderly have many long-term care choices. In fact, most communities offer a continuum of care including support services transportation or meals), home- health care, independent living, boarding homes, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing homes, and hospice facilities. Converse County has many high quality services for seniors, but there appears to be a need for additional pieces of that continuum of care model. To help evaluate current and projected senior long-term care housing needs in the community, Converse County and Memorial Hospital of Converse County jointly came together to fund a market and financial feasibility study for long-term care. Part of the feasibility study process will be to complete an analysis of projected long-term care needs, market demand, growth potential and competition in Converse County, with special emphasis on the need for one or more Assisted Living Facilities. "We have retained Community Builders, Inc., a Converse County-based consulting firm, to prepare this study," said Converse County Commissioner Rick Grant. "CBI will analyze the appropriateness, gaps and need for each of the types of long-term care in the Converse County area, such as, independent living, assisted living, adult day care, memory loss care, nursing care, personal care, or low-income apartments. "A key part of the planning process is to engage the public," CBI Consultant Bobbe Fitzhugh stressed. "A Stakeholder and Community Survey is being circulated throughout the community to get the public's input. Once the survey results are analyzed, presentations to the public will be scheduled." ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 Residents are encouraged to complete the survey on line at Paper copies of surveys are also available at the following Douglas locations: Memorial Hospital of Converse County (Information Desk); Douglas Senior Center; Frontier Drug; and the Converse County Clerk's Office. Glenrock locations with community surveys are: Glenrock Town Hall; Glenrock Senior Center; Oregon Trail Clinic; and the Glenrock Health Center. Survey links will also be available on the Converse County, Memorial Hospital of Converse County, Town of Glenrock, and CBI websites. Residents are asked to complete surveys by November 20th, 2013 and drop them off at any of the listed locations. The initial Steering Committee members include: Rick Grant, County Commissioner Bob Kayser, MHCC Chairman, Board of Directors Gay Bolln, MHCC Board of Directors Dr. Charles Lyford, MHCC Board of Directors Ryan Smith, MHCC CEO Denise Lyons, Converse County Hospital Foundation Executive Director Jan Pope, Glenrock Citizen David Kreycik, Douglas Citizen Photo below may be used in any news story: Shown from l-r - CBI consultant Bobbe Fitzhugh, CBI consultant Joe Coyne, Glenrock citizen Jan Pope and MCHH Board Chair Bob Kayser, discussing community input process for long-term care needs assessment.