Life Care Center of Sarasota has become the first Florida skilled nursing and rehab facility to win the Gold National Quality Award from the American Health Care Association, a spokeswoman for the nursing-home association says.
The award, co-sponsored by that group and the National Center for Assisted Living, has gone to only 18 facilities across the country, including five this year.
Life Care had to first earn bronze and silver awards before achieving the gold award for quality. It took six years to go through the process, according to senior executive Nina Willingham, who was quoted in a press release. The application for the award was 55 pages, she said.
“This is not a process to be taken lightly,” Willingham said.
The president and CEO of the group giving the award agreed
“The centers that have earned this award are a testament to what can be done when our focus remains on providing high-quality, person-centered care,” Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL said in a news release. “The staff, leadership and community of Life Care Center of Sarasota have improved the lives of their residents, and their commitment to quality deserves to be recognized.”