Дом престарелых Laurel Ridge в Бостоне получил статус «без недостатков» после шести лет работы

For the past six years, Fredlyne (Fred) Daphnis, Director of Nursing at Laurel Ridge, has consistently told her staff: “We are a deficiency free facility. It's just a matter of time before they realize it.” This year, they realized it. “The work that we're putting in is going to be incredibly hard” Daphnis assured her staff, “however, we can accomplish it by being consistent.” Situated in the heart of Jamaica Plain, Laurel Ridge is just minutes away from downtown Boston and area hospitals, serving individuals in Boston, Mission Hill, Dorchester, Mattapan, Roxbury, West Roxbury, Roslindale, Brookline, Hyde Park and beyond. “Nursing homes are a highly regulated industry,” explains Executive Director Colin O’Leary. “We’re a restaurant, a hotel, a medical facility, all rolled into one.” According to the Department of Public Health’s website, the Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification conducts unannounced inspections every 9-15 months, including adequacy of staffing, quality of care, and cleanliness of facilities. Those that pass inspection earn the “Deficiency Free” status. Less than 10% of facilities in Massachusetts obtain this status. “We maintained a consistent presence on the floors,” Daphnis says, “rounding with staff, auditing medication carts and clinical records, and having regular conversations with residents and families to ensure we were meeting their needs, addressing concerns promptly, and continuously improving the quality of care.” Achieving this kind of recognition requires a dedicated and coordinated team of direct care staff as well as strong and supportive leadership. Daphnis tries to lead by example. She is intentional about spending time with both the night shift and the day shift, sometimes coming in as early as four in the morning to help with showering residents and morning routines. “A lot of times people underestimate their value,” she says of the night shift. “But they observe so much more, so I make sure I’m having conversations with them, addressing their needs, not just telling them what to do, but also being present in the building and helping them with the residents.” O’Leary recognizes and celebrates that leadership too, saying “One of the first things you learn running a nursing home is that nursing is in the title, they're kind of the stars of the show.” He’s quick to follow up about other frontline workers too, “the direct care staff are the ones that have to do the hard work every day, they’re the ones with the residents, and they’re the ones where the compassion shows first.” And that was evident to the surveyors right away. “They identified right away that our staff was working in a compassionate manner, and that allowed them to see everything through a positive lens,” said O’Leary. “My desire was to communicate that to the surveyors,” says Daphnis. “I wanted them to see what I see every day. I wanted them to see the care that went in. And it felt amazing to hear that they saw it.” Laurel Ridge is a member of Ascentria Care Alliance, one of the largest community-based human services organizations in New England, improving the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities facing systemic barriers. Ascentria Care Alliance is committed to providing seniors of Jamaica Plain and the surrounding communities with the highest level of care in a quality setting they deserve.