In a year like no other, Premier Senior Living, LLC, was awarded the Best of Senior Living 2021 award by the largest referral service for seniors in North America. The award honors the best of the best in assisted living, in-home care and senior living communities.
The award is presented by A Place for Mom, Inc. (APFM), the largest senior living referral service in North America, according to a press release. The recipient of the award is determined by reviews left by seniors and their families on the nation’s largest ratings and reviews website for senior care, SeniorAdvisor.com.
The purpose of the Best of Senior Living award is to honor the best of the best in assisted living, senior communities and in-home care, according to the press release.
Sue Johansen, Senior Vice President, Community Network at A Place for Mom, Inc., said only the top three percent (3%) of the nearly 45,000 senior living care providers in North America listed on SeniorAdvisor.com are recognized with the prestigious award.
“During a year that challenged all of us, and particularly frontline healthcare workers, senior living communities demonstrated resilience going above and beyond to keep residents safe, healthy, and happy,” said Johansen.
Overcoming the Challenges of COVID-19
The pandemic provided a slew of new challenges in the world of senior living, according to Sheri Steele, Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Business Development for Premier Senior Living, LLC.
“We re-evaluated all cleaning regiments, protocols and procedures at our facilities, closely following [Center for Disease Control] guidelines in the wake of the pandemic,” said Steele. “We made sure our communities were the safest place for seniors during the pandemic.”
During the pandemic, 77 percent (77%) of caregivers have reported that they have been overwhelmed by the demands of caring for a senior, according to the press release. Nonetheless, the senior living industry has remained a critical industry throughout the pandemic.
A Place for Mom, Inc., surveyed families that moved into a senior living facility over the past six months, with 86 percent (86%) of caregivers saying that the pandemic did not influence their decision to relocate their loved one into a community during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak – mainly because of seniors needing care beyond what could be provided at home.
“Almost 9 in 10 families surveyed with a loved one in senior living said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the care their loved one was receiving this past year,” the press release said.
Rewriting the Playbook for Senior Care
Premier Senior Living, LLC, spent the past year evaluating daily updates from the CDC and the Department of Health (DOH) at its communities across five states, according to Steele. During the outbreak, senior living communities took steps like limiting visitors, practising social distancing and thoroughly screening staff and essential service providers numerous times a day, in addition to resident testing. The idea was to follow local, state and federal guidelines while taking additional steps to ensure the safety of all residents, staff and guests, Steele said.
“What we learned as healthcare providers in 2020 will shape the future of healthcare and assisted living for years to come,” Steele said.
While many facilities scurried for Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) as the outbreak grew over the summer, but Premier Senior Living, LLC, was able to secure face coverings, gloves, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and other essentials like thermometers and medical gowns without delay, Steele said.
Steele said Premier Senior Living, LLC, also upgraded its cleaning supplies during the pandemic and now uses hospital-grade antiviral disinfectant that is not available to the public. Hospital-grade disinfectant is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and targets microorganisms that are found in healthcare settings. It is extensively used in clinics, dentist offices, hospitals and other medical sites.
Steele said regimented cleaning schedules were maintained at all communities on strict hourly, shift and daily cleaning regiments when the pandemic hit full stride in spring 2020. Premier Senior Living, LLC, also incorporated new procedures and will continue the practices when the pandemic ends.
Other enhancements during the past year include relocating meals from shared dining spaces to allow more distanced dining, staggered mealtimes and (in some cases) on-demand eats. Activity periods at senior facilities were also tweaked so residents could continue their productive endeavors in a sanitary environment.
Steele, along with Premier Senior Living’s pandemic team – Gregg Calvert, PSLG’s Chief Operating Officer; Carol Krueger, National Director of Clinical and Quality Services; Sara Cataldo, DVP of Operations , Mark Walker, DVP of Operations and Travis Shreffler, National Director of Purchasing and Procurrment– were responsible for making key decisions for the company during the pandemic.
Experience Advisors Helping Seniors
A Place for Mom, Inc., is an online platform connecting families searching for senior care services with a team of experienced advisors providing insight-driven and personalized solutions, Johansen said. Its mission, as the leader in senior care advisory, is to be a trusted destination for families and our community customers.
A Place for Mom, Inc., is a quickly growing organization with over 500 senior living experts connecting hundreds of thousands of families every year to one of its community customers.
SeniorAdvisor.com is the leading consumer ratings and reviews site for senior living communities and home-care providers across the U.S. and Canada. The site provides access to the information families need when making an important senior-care decision. It features more than 240,000 trusted reviews and advice from residents and their loved ones.
Exceptional Care at Premier Senior Living, LLC
Premier Senior Living, LLC, communities serve a variety of care, specifically tailored for each patient. The company’s award-winning facilities across five states provide wellness and lifestyle through a focus on education, innovation, care and love.
Residents, families, staff and community organizations seek out Premier Senior Living due to our expertise in providing wellness and lifestyle through our focus on education and innovation.
Premier Senior Living’s advanced approach to senior care treats the individual, not just the symptoms of their dementia or memory loss. Our highly trained staff works closely with each resident on their personal journey, minimizing the symptoms of their disease while providing inspiration for a renewed purpose and fulfilment of life.
