HDMC News & Press Releases

Hi-Desert Medical Center's Continuing Care Center receives national award   
November 30, 2011   
   
The Continuing Care Center's unique "Under 70 Club" has earned a 2011 Excellence in Programing Award from the California Association of Health Care Facilities (CAHF) admist stiff competition: This year CAHF received 48 nominations for the award and had t narrow the field to just six winners.
  
CAHF, the largest statewide organization of skilled-nursing professionals in the nation, instituted the Excellence in Program Award to recognize individual member facilities for superior achievement in long-term care.  Winning programs are selected for being creative, innovative or unique.  The judges look at how well the program benefits participants and improves their quality of life.  they also consider the number of participants, program frequency and whether the program can be easily replicated by other facilities.
   
The CCC's Under 70 Club filled the bill -- providing an innovative forum for younger residents to have fun, especially in a rural community with limited social resources.  As one member said, "We want to be positive and set the right tone about life here, adn that includes upholding the employees who work here."  the club has been extremely well received, and residents who previously participated in very few CCC group activities have found the club a welcome social event.
  
The 2011 Excellence in Programming Awards were presented November 15 at the CAHF Annual Convention & Expo in Palm Springs.  CAHF is a non-profit trade association founded in 1950 to serve long-term care staff, owners, managers and residents and is dedicated to increasing and improving the quality of care in nursing facilities and facilities for people with developmental disabilities throughout California.
 
Top photo: Esther Tomaszewski, CCC administrator;
and Rick Vermette, director of activities, receive the
CAHF award at the annual state-wide convention.
Bottom photo: Esther and Rick pose with members of the
Under 70 Club, from left: Maria Martinez, Billie Garrison,
Linda Waldron, and Steve Plasterer.