AMERICUS — Magnolia Manor Nursing Center in Americus recently received confirmation that the hard work and dedication of staff members would be acknowledged on the national level. The American Health Care Association (AHCA) identified the Americus Nursing Center as a 2009 recipient of the Step I Quality Award.

The AHCA National Quality Award Program was created in 1996, and is modeled after the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award — the nation’s premier award for recognizing distinguished achievement. These awards are presented to three levels of achievement: the first level Step I Award; a more rigorous Step II Award; and a comprehensive Step III Award.

The Step I Award is issued to nursing and assisted living centers that demonstrated organization-wide commitment to person-centered care, defined its principal customers and their expectations, and indicated how they are striving to meet their needs. By exhibiting unique attributes such as using effective and efficient technology, developing successful quality improvement initiatives, maintaining healthy and productive partnerships, displaying outstanding organizational performance measures, and retaining a caring and compassionate workforce, the Americus Nursing Center is now recognized on a national level.

“Our Quality Award is the most prestigious recognition of quality within the long term care profession,” said AHCA President and CEO, Bruce Yarwood. “This facility’s achievement places it at the forefront of organizational and performance excellence, where the mission of quality care for elderly and disabled Americans is vigorously pursued.” Yarwood continues by saying, “Magnolia Manor’s achievement shows that dedicated frontline caregivers, administrative personnel, nurses and physicians are committed to providing quality care and to meeting residents’ needs.”

Although the award will officially be presented to a Magnolia Manor representative in October at the AHCA Annual Convention in Chicago, staff and residents are celebrating now. According to Nursing Center Administrator, Angela Rose, this high honor is attributed to loving employees, who deliver a loving approach and stand firm in upholding their motto of “Resident first because I care.” “We all know how difficult it is to provide care for Georgia’s elderly and frail, but what we fail to see is how natural caregiving is to Magnolia Manor employees. These employees have been caring for their own children, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and siblings all their lives. They are committed. They are compassionate. They are the reason we received this honor,” said Rose.

Located at 2001 S. Lee St., Magnolia Manor is a United Methodist ministry for older adults with eight locations across South Georgia.