Capes Outlines Moosehaven’s Future

Moosehaven Executive Director John Capes

> In his first address to an International Convention audience, Moosehaven Executive Director John Capes described an emerging vision for the campus’s future.

Capes told the Rosen Centre Hotel crowd Monday afternoon that the biggest challenge facing Moosehaven at present is an operating deficit of $1 million per month.

In addition, the number of residents at the City of Contentment has declined from 400 to a current population near 300.

Reversing both trends--creating an operating surplus and increasing the Moosehaven population--will take time and require some innovative thinking.

“Each of these challenges presents us with an opportunity to grow and improve,” Capes said.

Capes outlined a number of steps under consideration to meet those challenges. Among them:

• Pursue the licensing of 72 beds in the skilled nursing facility in order to receive Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement.
  
  
• The current “asset-surrender” admissions model may need restructuring. Capes said incentives need to be provided for prospective residents who seek to preserve assets until entry.
  
  
• New waterfront apartments may highlight an overall redesign of the campus. Larger apartments with better views will be more attractive to pay-as-you-go residents, he said.
  
  
• Residency may be considered for both Moose and non-Moose members. Nonmember prospective residents would be required to purchase a life membership in the Loyal Order of Moose or Women of the Moose.
  
  
• Differing forms of independent living at Moosehaven need to be explored. Capes outlined a vision that would include duplexes and townhomes on the campus that offer garages, a kitchen, laundry and high-speed Internet access.

Capes said continued and increased support from the Moose would enable all these things and more to take place.

“Thank you for your attention and for your continued support of Moosehaven,” Capes said.

The full text of Capes’ speech appears at: www.mooseintl.org/portal/
Convention/2007Orlando/pdf/
2007-MoosehavenReport.pdf.