Eastern Star Home in Decorah has begun a search for a new administrator

Former Barthell Eastern Star Administrator Karl Jocobsen

The Board of Directors of Barthell Eastern Star Home in Decorah has announced that Karl Jacobsen has resigned as Administrator after over eight years of service.

A statement by the board thanks Jacobsen for his years of service to the nursing home, praising how his daily visits and chats with the nursing home resident, "truly caring about their welfare, lives, families, and happiness."

Jacobsen brought a number of changes to Eastern Star, including implementation of computer-based patient records and heightened patient confidentiality rules and regulations.

The board's statement thanked Jacobsen "for his commitment, enthusiasm, and caring and (we) wish him and his family all the best in the future.

The board has named Sylvia Steine as Acting Administrator.  The Department of Health Management and Policy at the University of Iowa will help the nursing home board in its search for and and hiring of a new administrator.  Board members say they hope to fill the position in the first quarter of 2014.