Carroll Manor sits in a picturesque landscape on CR100N. Not only does the Manor support residents with services but also has a large community room for group meetings and family activities. There is no set fee for use of the room, but donations are accepted. Comet file photo Much has changed for the Carroll County-owned Carroll Manor Residential Care Facility since it was established in 1853 on CR100N. The home was always managed by a superintendent who lived on-site with family members.

According to Comet records, Jack Burkhalter was the superintendent in the 1960s and 70s, and James Coghill, with his wife Neda, assumed the post in 1972. The family quarters were maintained during those years and the grounds were used as a working farm and garden to help support the home.

When current superintendent Martha Lewis, daughter of the Coghills, was appointed to the position by Carroll County Commissioners in 1998, the family area was converted into resident living quarters. There was no longer farm ground managed by the superintendent and due to state constraints, gardening done by residents to preserve food for later use was prohibited.

Lewis Much has been discussed about the future of the facility by the county council and commissioners in the past several months. An "independence plan," proposed by the council to commissioners two weeks ago, would set the Manor on a path of self-sufficiency. The plan would liberate the Manor appropriation from the general fund and allow it to exist as a standalone entity which would subsist upon income from resident-generated fees.

A $50,000 line item in the commissioner's budget would be used to pay the Manor for the care of Carroll County indigent residents as prescribed by state statute. Another $50,000 in the county leaders' budget as "seed money" for the Manor to be able to pay bills until the first month's income is utilized. The decision to implement the "independence plan" will be made when the 2010 budget is developed.

That idea is not an unwelcome one to Lewis.

"I don't have a problem with the plan," she said. "Our census is increasing. If we keep going like this, we'll be money ahead."

A sub-recommendation by the council is for the Manor to rent unused space to help make ends meet in 2010, however Lewis said that measure will not be necessary. She said she prefers to reserve any extra space for future residents. Lewis said county homes across the state are closing and she believes the Manor has an appeal other facilities do not.

"This is a home," she emphasized. "I tell people the Manor is like a bed and breakfast. We do not have private baths like other facilities, but we are in a beautiful building, in a rural area and it is homey here."

Lewis belongs to the Indiana County Home Association which meets every other month. She said she participates in the group so she can understand what is happening state-wide and to keep current about mandatory regulations the Manor is required to follow.

She explained the budget reductions in the past two years were a difficult adjustment for her and the staff. The Manor employed 10 full-time staff which was reduced to seven after the reductions. Lewis said the number of part-time workers stayed the same at six.

She said there have been many food and dry goods donations which are welcomed. She has also taken advantage of the National Able Network, which is a state-sponsored Senior Community Service Employ- ment Program. A program worker is paid by the state to provide 20 hours of work each week. Lewis said the person will be utilized in marketing, communication and as an activities leader. In addition Lewis said she plans to develop an advisory board in order to utilize community resources to enhance the independence plan.

The superintendent explained that the Manor's resident services include rooms, meals, linens, laundry services, medication supervision, housekeeping, clothing tagging, transportation to and from health facilities for indigent residents, assistance with bathing when needed, first aid and a licensed beautician weekly at a reduced cost.

Lewis said she developed a graduated or negotiated rate scale in the past two years to accommodate all payment ability levels. The rate for outof county residents and nonstate supported residents who can afford the full-rate is $56 per day. She said the state-supported Assistance to Residents in County Homes (ARCH) rate is $37/day and the balance of the cost of the service provision is paid from taxpayer appropriation of $289,341 from the general fund.

Lewis said she applies the negotiated rate (sliding-fee scale from $0 to $56/day) minus a personal expense deduction which is guided by state statute to those who cannot pay the full rate for services.

The state code directs indigent county residents to be referred to the Manor by a township trustee, but they first go to Lewis for review before reaching commissioners for approval. An admission contract written by the Indiana State Board of Accounts and a physician's admission record are completed by the applicant.

According to Lewis, criteria for Manor residency requires an applicant to be ambulatory, with or without crutches or a walker. A person or a responsible relative must be a Carroll County resident and the potential resident must be able to perform daily activities, such as bathing and brushing their teeth, with minimal assistance or verbal cues to be accepted as a Manor resident. Residency is determined by the address and the length of stay in the county. She said "the majority of past residents have been county property owners" and voter's registration is also sometimes used to guide the residency requirement.

Council member Ron Slavens is a proponent of the Manor becoming independent of the general fund. He also realizes the county's obligation to ensure housing for county residents who are not able to pay the full price per day at the facility.

"I think the plan is a necessity for the longevity of Carroll Manor," he said. "I think it will flourish if we take it out of the general fund and let it operate on its own."