Carroll Manor: A jewel in need of polish

Blackburn

A story came to my attention recently about the possibility of the Carroll Manor in Delphi perhaps closing its doors. I attended a meeting at the Carroll County Commissioner’s office to learn more. A special meeting between the Carroll County Commissioners and the Carroll County Council was convened in response to a newly opened Facebook page entitled “Save the Manor,” which highlighted the financial concerns regarding the uncertain future of the Carroll Manor.

The Manor has a special place in my heart, for it is here that my aunt, Doris Blackburn, spent the last seven years of her life. While some think of the “County Home” with a negative connotation, I am here to tell you that it is not. My aunt lived in a sun-filled room, with the absolute best of care during her good days and her last days, and the staff treated her like a valued family member. Some of the girls even came in on their days off just to take care of her!

The Carroll Manor offered her an excellent level of care at a much lower cost than any of the surrounding geriatric facilities.

Many people don’t even know that the Manor exists, let alone how beautiful it is. The home is decorated in fine antiques and is tastefully decorated for every season. Once there were ice cream socials and events held at the Manor. With the onset of the Pandemic the Manor, like other geriatric facilities, was limited both on visits into the building and also admissions to the facility.

The Carroll Manor was built in 1905 and in its day, did house the poorest souls in the county, and even served as a sanitarium for those with mental problems, until the Logansport State Hospital became the place for those with mental problems to go. The poverty of the people who lived there once set the tone for what the facility stood for, but that is not the entire story. In 2019 it was estimated that only 10 of Indiana’s 92 counties continue to operate functioning county homes. Many have been demolished, and even more, have been closed or sold; Carroll Manor is one of the few county homes still in existence in the state of Indiana today.

The “poor farms” were self-sufficient. They had enough acreage to maintain livestock and grow food for the residents. Able residents worked the fields and with livestock, if they were men, and worked in the garden or laundry and kitchen duties if they were women.

At the back of the Manor is a cemetery where some of the residents are buried. A plaque with the names of those buried is posted on a wall of the Manor to remind us of those who lived and died at the Manor.

The Manor’s current Administrator, Martha Lewis, has spent a lifetime caring for the building and its residents and takes both a personal and professional interest in the facility. Her parents once served as Administrators of the Manor, and the family lived within its walls. Martha has dedicated her time and energy, to fill multiple roles in addition to serving as its Administrator. She had asked for an assistant some time back, but while the job was posted, not many people will accept a job that is 24/7, every day of the year, always on call, and paying $40,000 with limited benefits. That takes a special kind of person, and there aren’t many of them left anymore.

Martha is tired; she has given her all. She has announced her retirement, set to begin on January 1, 2023. There is no assistant to move into her position. The food allotment for the year has been cut nearly in half due to a dwindling census. Pre-pandemic, there were approximately 26 people who called the Manor home; some of them are people who were relocated when White County closed the Lakeview Home in 2017. It still makes me sad when I drive by the lot where our Home once sat. I have often wondered what happened to the people who were evicted; now I know. There are currently only fifteen people residing at the Carroll Manor, but that is largely because there is inadequate money to advertise the facility, little money to pay the staff, and confusion as to whether the Manor can even stay afloat. Who wants to move to a facility and then have to move again? The facility is currently considered Residential; there are no Medicare beds, but certain forms of Medicaid and VA funding are accepted; otherwise, it is private pay. Funding is currently through monies allotted by the county for capital maintenance, such as major improvements to the building, but this year only $5,000 was allotted for maintenance which is low for a building of this age. Various churches around the community have also shown a loving dedication to the Manor for several years. Private donations also assist with care and maintenance.

Delphi has a precious jewel; it deserves a chance to offer the people of Carroll and surrounding counties a choice. This community has long shown its love of history with the restoration of the Delphi Opera House and the Wabash-Erie Canal and Village. It has shown its strength and community-mindedness in opening the park for Liberty German and Abigail Williams.

The Joint Council members met with residents and citizens interested in saving the Manor. While everyone at the table expressed a willingness and desire to keep the Manor afloat, budgetary allotments have been limited at best. The Boards admitted there may be some money in the Riverboat Fund and in county EDIT (Economic Development Income Tax) funds that can be moved to assist in addressing the most pressing issue, which is to hire the replacement for Martha Lewis.

The room was filled with people who had either worked at Carroll Manor or had loved ones who had received quality care. Several ideas were generated, and a flyer was presented with considerations and ideas to raise money for the Manor. These included the planning of fund-raisers by the churches and local businesses, events located on the facility grounds with tours of the facility, and most importantly spreading the word to others about the Manor so that they can see how important this building and its people truly are! Commissioner William Brown challenged each of us to spread the word to at least fifty people to let them know of the facility’s existence and encourage them to join the cause and together we can SAVE CARROLL MANOR!

Consider yourself aware! Now, come on down and lend a hand. The facility needs money, but it also needs volunteers on a multitude of levels. If you would like to participate in setting up fundraisers or even offering up a needed skill, please call the Manor at 765-564-4340.

Applications for the Administrative Assistant Position can be obtained at the Carroll County Courthouse Treasurer’s Office, Attn: Beth Myers.

‘Til Next Time!

An Illuminated Mrs. B.