Good Samaritan Society shares workforce, quality initiatives
Oct. 2, 2023
Contact:
Tess Hedrick
Sanford Health Media Relations
605-366-2432 / tess.hedrick@sanfordhealth.org
DENVER, CO – The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society – the nation’s largest not-for-profit provider of senior care and services – will share forward-looking solutions to address long-term care workforce challenges with industry leaders at the 2023 American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) Convention and Expo in Denver on Oct. 1-4.
The AHCA/NCAL Convention features panel discussions with industry experts, including Aimee Middleton, vice president of operations for the Good Samaritan Society. She will be joined by leaders from Ensign and Cedar Hill Continuing Care Community. Titled ‘State of the Nursing Home Industry with NIC and LTC Providers,’ and moderated by Bill Kauffman, senior principal of National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC), topics discussed will include labor; inflation; occupancy and reimbursement; and managed care.
With the proposed minimum staffing standards for skilled nursing facilities recently released by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), Middleton will share what’s at stake for our nation’s seniors and their loved ones and how the Society is prioritizing its workforce.
“The bottom line is that there are simply not enough caregivers available to meet any requirement to increase staffing levels,” said Aimee Middleton, Good Samaritan Society vice president of operations. “The Good Samaritan Society would need to hire more than 700 additional RNs and nurse aides to meet the requirements as proposed in the rule. It’s impossible to imagine how a skilled nursing facility in a rural community will find more people when it’s taking up to three years to fill open positions today in some of our locations. Now is the time for meaningful solutions that will build a strong caregiving workforce of tomorrow and improve access to high-quality care for our nation’s seniors, no matter where they live.”
As part of an integrated health system with Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the country, the Good Samaritan Society has launched creative workforce solutions and made historic investments in its people since the pandemic, which include increases in starting pay; bonuses; training and education; flexible scheduling options; benefits and well-being support.
In June, Good Samaritan Society – Woodland in Brainerd, Minnesota was recognized as a 2023 Silver – Achievement in Quality award recipient by the AHCA/NCAL. The only dual skilled nursing/assisted living facility in the nation to receive this award, location leaders will accept the prestigious award at this year’s convention.
For more information about the Good Samaritan Society, visit www.good-sam.com.
About the Good Samaritan Society
The Good Samaritan Society is one of the largest not-for-profit providers for senior care and services in the United States with more than 200 locations in 17 states. Its services include senior living, long-term care, rehabilitation therapy, home-based services and more. For 100 years, the organization has been dedicated to sharing God’s love through the work of health, healing and comfort. Learn more about the Good Samaritan Society at good-sam.com.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization serves more than one million patients and 201,000 health plan members across 250,000 square miles. The integrated health system has 46 medical centers, 2,800 Sanford physicians and advanced practice providers, 170 clinical investigators and research scientists, 186 Good Samaritan Society senior living centers and world clinics in nine countries around the globe. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
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