Christine Jordan Sexton
Six Florida nursing homes are vying for “Gold Seal” status. Members of the Governor’s Panel on Excellence in Long-Term Care will meet Tuesday to consider applications that were submitted by the facilities.
Two of the applicants, Village on the Green in Longwood and Mayflower Health Care Center in Winter Park, are submitting initial applications.
Village on The Green was cited with several deficiencies in a summer re-licensure survey. According to the report, the facility failed to provide necessary care to two patients; failed to prevent a decrease in range of motion for two residents; didn’t maintain all its survey results for the last three years for the public to review; failed to follow up on pharmacy recommendations for one resident; and failed to ensure that the food was kept at proper holding temperatures.
The deficiencies were corrected according to a Sept. 2 follow-up visit, documents show.
Mayflower Health Care Center has also had some recent deficiencies, according to the state website Florida Health Finder. An unannounced fire, safety, life inspection conducted in early August uncovered the facility was not maintaining its automatic sprinkler system through regularly scheduled inspections, was not executing twice-a-year drills for its comprehensive emergency management plan, and had fire doors that were not closing and locking.
A re-licensure survey for Mayflower conducted Aug. 3 resulted in the facility being cited for not following a doctor’s follow-up orders for one resident and failing to adhere to employment background screening for two staff members
A re-licensure survey for a replacement Mayflower facility was conducted In October, along with a new fire life safety survey after a new building on the same campus was opened. No violations were found in either survey.
The Gold Seal Program was established in statute to award and recognize nursing home facilities that demonstrate excellence in long-term care over a sustained period, promote the stability of the industry, and facilitate the physical, social and emotional well-being of nursing home facility residents. The Governor’s Panel on Excellence in Long-Term Care administers the program.
Gold Seal designations are generally awarded twice a year, and the designations are valid for two years.
There are 690 nursing home providers in Florida, but only 14 nursing homes are recognized as Gold Seal Facilities.
Meanwhile, the coveted designation for four of the 14 facilities expires at the end of the year. Those four facilities — Delaney Park Health and Rehabilitation Center in Orlando; River Garden Hebrew Home for the Aged in Jacksonville; Joseph L. Morse Health Center, Inc. in West Palm Beach; and Pavilion for Health Care in Penney Farms — have all submitted applications to keep their Gold Seal designation.
Members of the Governor’s Panel on Excellence in Long-Term Care will interview representatives from the nursing homes during its three-hour meeting. According to the agenda, the panel will consider testimony from the public.
Panel members will make follow-up visits to facilities to ensure they meet necessary standards. The panel will announce the Gold Seal recipients before Dec. 15.
One comment
Nancy F. Banister
October 31, 2022 at 5:34 pm
Reading this article educates me about Award Winning Senior Care. I was just evicted from a senior care facility (I was President of the Assisted Living Council for four years) in Jacksonville.) My co-president and I brought cases against the facility with ACHA and the Ombudsman Program. I foolishly believed that the Florida law which was clearly stated by the Department of Elder Affairs would protect me. The excuse was I was abusive to employees and other residents reported me to management as being pushy. I am at another facility now and am okay but I was the sacrificial lamb and this Jacksonville facility continues to go downhill. The other residents are terrified to complain or file cases. They believe if someone like me who did everything for everybody and everybody respected and admired,if I could be evicted, then they could be also. I wish there was something that could be done.
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