MARION, Ohio [March 9, 2020] – The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living has honored all 11 qualifying United Church Homes’ owned and managed skilled nursing communities for meeting quality improvement goals set by the AHCA/NCAL last year.
The Quality Initiative Recognition Program challenges long-term and post-acute care member providers to meet specific, measurable targets in key areas by March 2021.
“We’re proud of our staff members who work so hard to improve the quality of life and quality of care of the older adults we serve,” said Rev. Kenneth Daniel, president and CEO, United Church Homes. “We are committed to providing the best services available through continuous quality improvement, which includes a robust Quality Awards program and staff development in research-based programming.”
One example of that staff training is Comfort Matters, a memory care education and palliative care program dedicated to improving the quality of care and quality of life for those living with dementia. Many UCH communities offering memory care have been accredited in the program at least once, while others have begun the accreditation process.
Improving Outcomes in Skilled Nursing
In 2019, the AHCA challenged skilled nursing care centers to lessen hospitalizations, improve customer satisfaction, safely reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics and improve outcomes for long-stay residents and short-stay guests. 
Skilled nursing communities were sorted into tiers based on the number of focus areas with at least one goal achieved. UCH communities are as follows:
Tier 4
- Four Winds Community, Jackson, Ohio
- Harmar Place, Marietta, Ohio
- Pilgrim Manor, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Wharton Nursing Home at Uplands Village (UCH managed), Pleasant Hill, Tennessee
Tier 3
- Chapel Hill Community, Canal Fulton, Ohio
- Fairhaven Community, Upper Sandusky, Ohio
- Trinity Community at Fairborn, formerly Patriot Ridge Community, Fairborn, Ohio
Tier 2
- Friendship Village Columbus (UCH managed), Columbus, Ohio
- Parkvue Community, Sandusky, Ohio
- SEM Haven (UCH managed), Milford, Ohio
- Trinity Community at Beavercreek, Beavercreek, Ohio
Unlike the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program, the recognition program pulls data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Minimum Data Set and Nursing Home Compare as well as customer satisfaction scores submitted by member communities via the AHCA/NCAL’s data tracking tool. Comparatively, the Quality Award Program is based on the core values and criteria of the Baldridge Performance Excellence Program. All UCH owned and managed senior living communities have earned either a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award through the latter program.
Communities that achieved one or more of the AHCA Quality Initiative goals will be recognized Tuesday, March 10, at the AHCA/NCAL Quality Summit in Grapevine, Texas.