Three assisted living communities and three other assisted living and skilled nursing providers are among this year’s winners of Silver Achievement in Quality Awards from the American Health Care Association / National Center for Assisted Living.
The three assisted living communities that achieved silver status in 2022 include Heritage Woods, McHenry, IL; Maison Jardin Living Community, Morgan City, LA; and Brookdale Evesham Assisted Living, Voorhees, NJ.
The three assisted living and skilled nursing facilities earning silver are Forest Hills of DC, Washington DC; Pleasant View Care Center, Whiting, IA; and SEM Haven Health & Residential Care Center,Milford, OH.
Although these six communities have maintained a high quality of work for their residents worthy of a silver ranking, the number of awards this year signal a striking drop in silver recipients compared with recent years.
In 2021, for instance, 13 assisted living communities and one SNF/AL earned silver status, and in 2019, 44 assisted living communities earned silver status. In 2018, the number was 47.
AHCA/NCAL attributed the decrease to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic has brought on a historic workforce and economic crisis, and many providers are focused on these more urgent matters,” an AHCA/NCAL spokesperson said. “This does not mean providers are not focused on continuous improvements to quality care.”
The spokesperson said that even given the pandemic, AHCA/NCAL wanted to keep the criteria for the award the same as it has been.
“The National Quality Award program is so renowned because it is rigorous, and it requires substantial time, energy and resources,” the spokesperson said.
The association remains optimistic about future years in the National Quality Award program, however.
“We are confident there will be a renewed focus on our Quality Award program in the coming years, especially if long-term care receives the resources and support it needs from policymakers to get through this crisis,” the spokesperson said.
AHCA/NCAL released the names of the 180 recipients of the 2022 Bronze Commitment to Quality Award in May earlier this year. Aug. 5, the Gold Quality Award recipients will be announced.
