Long-term care leaders for Rockingham County told the County Commissioners on Jan. 2 that recent hiring initiatives have improved staffing at county nursing and assisted-living facilities, and the board approved a pair of administrative measures while declining to authorize two new security attendant positions.

The county’s senior director of long-term care services, Chantelle Chaconan, told the commissioners the facility census stands at 133 residents in the nursing home and 49 in assisted living. Chaconan also said there are no residents currently positive for COVID-19 but six staff members have tested positive, and staff are evaluating a temporary masking step as a safeguard. “We currently have 6 positive staff,” Chaconan said.

The personnel move approved by the board repurposes one full-time medication nursing assistant position into one part-time medical records specialist, effective Jan. 26, 2025. The board also authorized a short-term Reiki services agreement covering Jan. 1–June 30, 2025. Commissioners described the Reiki service as a resident-focused offering; one commissioner said learning more changed their view of the therapy.

By contrast, the board debated a motion to create two new part-time security-attendant positions effective Jan. 26, 2025 and did not support it. Commissioners and staff walked through cost comparisons between keeping the existing contracted provider and bringing security in-house. Chantelle Chaconan and Human Resources staff said the expected direct cost savings from hiring internal staff were minimal. County staff recommended reducing a contracted overnight shift rather than immediately creating new county positions; the board declined to approve the new positions at this time.

Commissioners and staff also discussed the long-term care center’s compliance work plan and said training with a compliance vendor identified minor items that have since been fixed. Chaconan said the county aligned the vendor’s template to the county’s calendar, noting that several items marked “not applicable” on the vendor template were moved to appropriate quarters to avoid duplication.

Human Resources staff reported hiring progress: Allison (Human Resources staff) said the county has hired 13 people and has two in process, and that current efforts could reach about 17 hires by the end of January toward a larger target discussed in prior meetings. “We’ve hired 13. We have 2 in process,” Allison said.

Resident services and donations: Commissioners heard that a donor is offering a Yamaha grand piano currently located in North Carolina and asked for preapproval to use resident donations (the residents’ “efforts fund”) to cover moving expenses quoted at $26,100. The board voted to approve using the efforts fund for the move pending resident council approval and to accept the donation pending resident council approval. The actions were explicitly contingent on resident council approval.

Why this matters: County long-term care operations have been a sustained board priority because staffing, infection control and resident services affect daily care and regulatory compliance. The board’s decision to repurpose a clinical position into a medical records role and to maintain the contracted security arrangement reflects short-term cost and operations tradeoffs while preserving options to revisit staffing later.

Details and context
- Census: Nursing home 133; assisted living 49 (full), reported by Chantelle Chaconan.
- COVID: No residents positive; six staff positives reported; temporary masking under consideration.
- Hiring: HR reported 13 hires, two in process; a larger hiring goal was discussed but not specified in this meeting.
- Actions approved: repurposed medication nursing assistant → part-time medical records specialist (effective Jan. 26, 2025); Reiki services agreement (Jan. 1–June 30, 2025); acceptance of piano donation pending resident council approval and conditional pre-approval to use resident efforts funds to pay moving cost.
- Action not approved: motion to add two part-time security-attendant positions (motion not supported; board kept option to revisit later and recommended reducing contracted overnight hours as an alternative).

What’s next: Staff said an updated compliance work plan will be provided at the next meeting. The piano donation and the proposed use of efforts funds will return for implementation only if the resident council approves. Commissioners and staff said they will continue to monitor staffing and infection-control metrics and may adjust contractor hours or reconsider in-house security at a later date.

Ending: Commissioners thanked long-term care and HR staff for progress on hiring and resident events, and noted the county will continue evaluating both cost and resident-care impacts before making further staffing changes.