Five United Church Homes’ healthcare communities have been recognized as 2014 recipients of the “Bronze Commitment to Quality” award for their dedication to improving the lives of residents through dependable quality care.

The award is one of three distinctions possible through the National Quality Award program, presented by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). The program honors communities that have demonstrated their commitment to improving quality care for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

“Trinity Community at Fairborn (formerly Patriot Ridge) has been inspired to give back to residents with the gift of caring and time,” said Stacie Ward, administrator at Trinity Community at Fairborn (formerly Patriot Ridge) in Fairborn, Ohio. “Improving the quality of life for our residents is priority one. To earn this distinction sets us apart and demonstrates our team’s ability to work together.”

The National Quality Award Program is centered on the core values and criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, and assists providers of long term and post-acute care services in achieving their performance excellence goals.

Communities begin the quality improvement process at the Bronze level, where they develop an organizational profile with essential performance elements such as vision and mission statements and an assessment of customers’ expectations. Bronze award winners must demonstrate their ability to implement a performance improvement system, as determined by a team of trained examiners.

As recipients of the “Bronze Commitment to Quality” award, Four Winds, Fairhaven, Trinity Community at Fairborn (formerly Patriot Ridge), Parkvue and Chapel Hill communities may now work toward developing approaches and achieving performance levels that meet the criteria required for the “Silver Achievement in Quality” award, the level that Trinity and SEM Haven are now pursuing.

“United Church Homes celebrates the shared commitment of doing what is right, and focusing on the needs of our residents,” said Rev. Kenneth Daniel, president and CEO. “The fact that virtually all of our healthcare communities have earned this designation speaks to how highly we value quality and positive outcomes in our organization.”

The awards will be presented during AHCA/NCAL’s 65th Annual Convention and Exposition, October 5-8, 2014, in Washington, D.C.