Williamsburg Health and Rehabilitation Center celebrates Facility of the Year honor

Forcht Group of Kentucky Founder and CEO Terry Forcht, above right, dances with Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison during a special celebration at Williamsburg Health and Rehabilitation Center. The facility was named "Facility of the Year" recently by the Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities.

When Mary Perkins entered the Williamsburg Health and Rehabilitation Center two and one-half years ago, her doctors only gave her 30 days to live.

"I had an opening in my abdomen as large as a football," Perkins said during a ceremony Thursday afternoon in the nursing home’s dining room. "The nurse walked up to me and said, ‘I don’t know but we will give it our best try.’ So here I am thanks to God’s hand and the staff of this home, our home."

Perkins plans to go home soon once her walking and balance improve.

"They say miracles don’t happen any more but you are looking at one right here. I had a 1 percent chance to live but they brought me out of it."

Stories like this are part of the reason that the Williamsburg Health and Rehabilitation Center was holding a ceremony Thursday to celebrate winning the Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities (KAHCF) Facility of the Year Award.

"This is the highest honor that the facility can receive from the association. This award recognizes the hard work that the staff has put into providing top quality care for the residents, who we call family," said Williamsburg Health & Rehabilitation Center Administrator Michelle Jarboe.

"This award honors our wonderful residents. They are why we are here today. While this trophy is wonderful, caring for our residents, our family is our true reward."

Perkins story isn’t the only one that community members, nursing home residents and their families, and other dignitaries got to hear about Thursday.

Dan Frost, whose mother has resided at the facility for two years and one month, spoke during Thursday’s ceremony noting that he has gotten to know many of the residents and staff at the facility during that time.

"I have been able to get a first hand grip on the compassion and love that the staff shows to all the residents," he said.
Frost said that moving into the facility brought back a sense of living and community into his mother’s life.

"For two years, we have been a blessed family because of Williamsburg Health and Rehab," Frost said. "Thank you from the depth of my heart for what you have given us."

He added that the nursing home was up against competition from many newer facilities with more modern amenities.

"This tells you that the judges were judging from something more than a physical thing. They looked at the inside," he said.

KAHCF Chairman of the Board Ken Urlage noted that the ceremony was an opportunity to "celebrate what is right about long term care."

"This is a very rewarding vocation that can inspire, uplift and bring residents miracles," he added. "A lot of people don’t realize that unless you work in this field. This is our reward day in and day out. It beats the heck out of an Oscar any day in my opinion."

KAHCF President Ruby Jo Lubarsky said that since 1974, the facility of the year trophy has represented the most prestigious award one of the member facilities can receive.

"It recognizes the hard work, the commitment and the quality of care that your facilities staff, management and volunteers put into their jobs every day, every hour," she said.

"All of the different players that come together to make a facility a true home for its residents are symbolized on this trophy. At the center of trophy is a resident, whose care and well being is the focus of our attention every day."

KAHCF is the trade association that represents proprietary and nonproprietary long-term care facilities throughout the state.

The Facility of the Year Award is presented in KAHCF’s districts to nursing homes that have demonstrated an outstanding level of achievement in the past year. The nominees are judged on strict criteria, including facility and department goals and objectives, quality patient care and meeting national standards, the attitudes and enthusiasm of administrator and staff members, and the facility’s activities and involvement with the local community.

Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison described the recognition as "assume."

"I can’t think of another facility more worthy," Harrison said. "These guys play such an important role in our community. The employees are always doing things that keep the residents involved with the community. Thank you and congratulations."

This marks the second time that the nursing home has received the award in the last 11 years. The facility cannot compete for the top spot again for another three years.

"We are extremely proud of this facility. It is an awesome responsibility running a nursing home as we know. It is a 365-day a year job," added Forcht Group of Kentucky Chairman Terry E. Forcht. "We have a lot of fine people here and we appreciate you all so much."

Other recent awards

Williamsburg Health & Rehabilitation Center has been on a roll in terms of awards recently.

In February, nursing home staff traveled to New Orleans where they received the American Health Care Association Tier IV Quality Initiative Award during the association’s quality symposium.

Williamsburg was one of three Kentucky facilities to have met all four of the American Health Care Association’s Quality Initiatives. Those initiatives asked facilities to reduce the off-label use of anti-psychotics, re-hospitalizations and staff turnover while improving customer satisfaction.

It was one of 60 facilities in the nation to receive the honor. Only two others in Kentucky got the award.

Four goals that have to be met to receive the Quality Initiative Recognition Award include: safely reducing hospital readmissions by 15 percent, increasing staff stability by 15 percent, increasing customer satisfaction above 90 percent and safely reducing the off-label use of anti-psychotics by 15 percent.