SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Federal agencies tell South Dakota nursing homes they have too many residents under their roofs and more should be home or in community-base facilities.
Representative Jean Hunhoff of Yankton finds it hard to accept.
Hunhoff says "if you have visited a nursing home, the people that are in there are really, totally independent on other individuals to help them have their independence."
Hunhoff says nursing homes are the only options for most of the patients.
She says they are the individuals that need that type of care, don't have family or other resources. But the other downside is that the state knows there's not enough community-based services.
Hunhoff says nursing homes, especially in rural South Dakota, have a hard time finding skilled workers.
She says if a nursing home has someone to hire, and they want to get state funding or Medicaid funding, then that future employee has to be certified and that raises the cost.
There are bills in Pierre that would help nursing homes pay bonuses to employees who stay with the facilities for extended periods.