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Letter: Support Grand River bonds

I am writing in support of 4A, the Grand River Hospital District’s bond to build a new long-term care center and hospital expansion.

I am the executive director of Rifle Housing Authority, and our housing authority is for senior and disabled residents. We all know we need a new long-term care center; E Dene Moore is one pipe break away from closing. But do you know why we need the hospital expansion?

In the past three months, two of our residents went to the GRH ER and there were not enough beds for them to be admitted. The residents had to be transferred to St. Mary’s in Grand Junction.

These residents’ families had to then take time off of work to be with their loved ones, and friends who could have visited them had they been admitted to GRH couldn’t. It’s scary enough to be in the hospital, but to be far away from friends and family makes things worse.

The hospital expansion will double the number of hospital beds for residents like those of Rifle Housing Authority and others.

Some people ask why not just build a new long-term care center. Remember, E Dene Moore is where these people live; it is not a hospital. Those residents when they get sick, they go to the hospital. If the number of residents doubles at a new long-term care center, where are they going to go if they get sick? We need more hospital beds to make sure our loved ones are cared for here in Rifle.

Natalie Bowman

Rifle


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