Gulf Coast Village and The Preserve, two senior living communities owned by Volunteers of America National Services (VOANS) have earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Nursing Care Center Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.
The communities recently underwent a rigorous, unannounced onsite review. The process involves a team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluating compliance with nursing care center standards spanning several areas, including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, medication management, rights and responsibilities of the individual, and more.
The Joint Commission’s standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and providers, measurement experts and patients. They are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance. The surveyors also conducted onsite observations and interviews.
“As a health care accreditor, The Joint Commission works with health care organizations across care settings to inspire safer and higher quality of care that is more equitable and compassionate,” says Ken Grubbs, DNP, MBA, RN, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing officer, The Joint Commission. “Through collaborating on innovative solutions and evidence-based resources and tools, The Joint Commission helps drive improvement while maintaining accountability through our leading survey methods and standards. We commend Gulf Coast Village and The Preserve for their commitment to advance safety, quality, equity and compassion for all patients.”
“It’s an honor for us at The Preserve and Gulf Coast Village to have a Gold Seal,” says Ryan Keller, regional vice president of senior living operations for VOANS. “This accreditation reflects the dedication and commitment that these two communities have toward bettering the lives of our residents, but it also serves as a reminder to continue to advance our operations to meet our greater goal – to ensure a high quality of life for those counting on us.”
Once the decision to apply for Joint Commission accreditation for Gulf Coast Village and The Preserve came to fruition, the Performance Excellence Team (PET) spent countless hours becoming familiar with each of the 250 individual standard elements by reviewing and assigning responsibilities and developing a tracking system for each category with a focus on the intent of each standard. By doing so, the team was able to identify areas of compliance or areas of opportunity to improve. The teams worked to develop a plan to achieve compliance in identified areas in preparation for onsite surveys, such as policies, systems and processes, and education. These areas were then implemented in day-to-day work and continue to be monitored throughout each term in preparation for continued accreditation and the communities’ dedication to quality that reflects their overall commitment to meeting high performance standards.
For more information, please visit JointCommission.org. To learn more about Gulf Coast Village, Cape Coral’s only life plan community, visit GulfCoastVillage.org or call 239-510-8712. To learn more about The Preserve, visit ThePreserveVOA.org or call 239-722-6167.
About Gulf Coast Village
Founded in 1989, Gulf Coast Village is the only life plan community in Cape Coral, Florida. Residents enjoy active living in an unparalleled lifestyle of comfort and convenience with a rich array of services and amenities that are focused on living well. The community also offers the security of knowing there is a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, specialized memory support, skilled nursing, home health and rehabilitation services. Gulf Coast Village is located at 1333 Santa Barbara Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33991. For more information, call 239-510-8712 or visit GulfCoastVillage.org.
About The Preserve
Located at 14750 Hope Center Loop, at the corner of Six Mile Cypress Parkway and Plantation Road, The Preserve offers 75 private skilled nursing suites for senior residents with specialized or advanced health care needs, as well as 21 boutique assisted living apartments and 17 memory support suites. The community serves as a critical resource for post-acute care, offering high-quality medical services, outpatient services, rehabilitative care and social programs. Highly trained staff members and licensed professionals provide continuous medical support and foster a culture of caring and hospitality, creating specialized programs focused on rehabilitative and restorative care. For more information, visit www.ThePreserveVOA.org.
About Volunteers of America National Services
VOANS, a subsidiary of Volunteers of America, provides affordable housing and healthcare services in over 40 states and Puerto Rico. The organization employs over 2,000 professionals who provide high quality services and care to clients. As one of the largest non-profit affordable housing owners/operators in the nation, VOANS has over 240 properties and approximately 14,500 affordable housing units. VOANS also operates over 46 senior healthcare programs, including skilled nursing, assisted living, home health care, adult day and Program for All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Learn more at voans.org.
