Synergy of staff dedication powers a caregiving culture:

·          All residents have access to quality caregiving.

·          Residents have a genuine influence over their daily lives and grow as individuals.

·          Residents and families are free to voice their grievances and do not suppress their discontent.

·          The atmosphere is characterized by laughter, smiles, hand holding and personal courtesies.

·          Resident dining has the festive spirit of a family reunion and the choices of a holiday meal.

·          Medical and nursing care, while essential, do not dominate a resident's lifestyle.

·          Residents are surrounded by a stimulating and enriching environment. They are socially engaged by choice, not programmed by design.

·          The building is clean but not sterile; odor free, but not masked by disinfectants.

·          Building entrances and resident common areas are lived in, not used as model showrooms.  

·          Residents are not bombarded by the sounds of vacuum cleaners, buffing machines, PA systems, telephones, call lights, food carts, and inconsiderate employees.

·          Staff answer telephones and treat visitors in a responsive and professional manner. 

·          The facility does not transfer residents from their rooms for enterprising purposes. 

·          Resident families place their trust in staff and do not stand guard at the bedside.

·          The facility is showered with volunteers, donations and civic recognition.

·          Local organizations meet on the premises and the facility sponsors community events.

·          Staff seize opportunities to cleanse the facility of regimentation, sterile living conditions and the trappings of institutional care.

·          The backgrounds of the administrator and nursing director compliment each other and they reach important caregiving decisions in lock-step.

·          Administrators and nursing directors know every resident and most employees by name, because they devote a portion of each day to clinical walking rounds.

·          The daily operation is not dependent on the presence of facility management.

·          Administrators are surrounded by self-directed, dynamic managers, who share their vision.

·          Nursing directors assemble a devoted group of  nurses who see themselves as leaders, not technicians. 

·          Caregivers become surrogate family members by virtue of their intense personal devotion.

·          Staff maintain respect for residents regardless of mental impairment, physical assistance requirements, demanding behavior, or whether reciprocal respect is shown.

·          Residents influence with whom they share a room.

·          A resident's room is treated like his / her castle: entry is by consent, personal privacy is observed, possessions are respected, residents personalize living areas, caregiving decisions are asked and answered, and guests do not take house rules for granted.

·          Resident activities of daily living demonstrate great attention to detail and staff pride.

·          Staff consider clinical documentation a trusted duty, not a drudgery.

·          Religious services are considered a fundamental resident need, not a recreational activity.

·          Staff structure their workday around resident needs, not around their lunch and rest periods.

·          Staff accept responsibility, and don't hide behind personal excuses or cast blame on others. 

·          Residents are the center of a caregiver's universe, and staff serve them in a devoted orbit. 

·          Caregiving consistency is not dependent on a particular nursing shift or day of the week.

·          Staff anticipate caregiving needs and act before physical compromises occur.

·          Nursing staff and physicians practice as a team, not as lone caregivers or practitioners.

·          Marketing staff do not make promises the facility cannot keep and remain connected to residents / families after the admission process ends.

·          Caregivers are assigned to the same residents and not shuttled around the building.

·          Staff view regulatory compliance as  a "minimum" threshold of caregiving expectations.

·          Historical survey experience is impressive, but not the apex of facility achievement.

·          Staff longevity is greater and absenteeism is lower than neighboring facilities.

·          The facility does not use personnel agencies (pools) to supplement staffing levels.

·          Residents with dementia who pose an elopement risk are not imprisoned; they receive special attention in a safe and stimulating area of the building.

·          No margin of resident decline is excusable in the eyes of medical and caregiving staff.

·          Avoidable resident decline is virtually non-existent, as caregivers will proudly attest.

·          There are no lapses in communication between facility nurses and physicians.

·          Resident safety is a top priority, as evidenced by fail-safe alarm systems, control of hazardous supplies and equipment, safe lifting practices, nursing protocols, an assertive safety committee, added supervision for at-risk residents, and a low incidence of injuries.

·          Surveyors and consumer groups hold the facility in high regard.

·          Facility visiting hours are liberal and family oriented.

·          The facility is the placement of choic" in the marketplace, as evidenced by capacity level occupancy, glowing compliments from discharge planners and a waiting list.

·          Word-of-mouth endorsements from resident families area leading source of  facility referrals.

·          Facility staff admit their family members without hesitation.

·          Visitors immediately sense a kindred spirit when they enter the building.