Caring House Receives Five-Star Rating from CMS
Kyle Knox
Gila River Indian News
The Caring House Skilled Nursing Facility, in Sacaton has received the highest rating—five stars—from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) after a three-year survey of its service and quality assurance protocols, putting it in the top 10 percent of skilled nursing facilities in the state. Residents, staff and GRIC leadership gathered on May 3 for a small in-person celebration to honor the highest merit a nursing home can receive.
“The most regulated industry in the United States is the nuclear energy industry. The second most is nursing homes,” said Ross Wilkoff, Caring House administrator. “What makes this accomplishment even more impressive is that just as COVID was being introduced into the world, tragically in 2019, that’s when all of our survey experience[s] began to improve significantly.”
The CMS rating system covers an array of standards, observes a facility’s staffing levels and staff turnover, and reviews quality measures, including on site surveys by CMS. For example, Wilkoff said, “Surveys happen every nine to 15 months, they’re always unannounced, and it’s a comprehensive survey on everything that a nurse does for a resident. Bathing, dressing, medication administration, all of their medical care is surveyed as well as the food we eat, the cleanliness of the building, and how we help people manage their finances.”
Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis attended the small gathering and said, “This moment, for all of us today, honors the Caring House receiving the highest designation, now a five-star facility. They did this during a pandemic, and today we’re here in the gathering
room that has been empty for so long; we come together because what the residents, the leadership, and staff did was special.”
Gov. Lewis commended the Caring House staff and leadership, stating, “They raised the bar, providing excellent service and attention to detail during probably one of the most difficult scenarios to endure, but it shows how dedicated all of these employees and healthcare professionals are to the Community.”
In 2017, the Caring House was a one-star facility. However, it had thoroughly reevaluated and implemented new approaches in order to reach five-star status.
Lt. Gov. Monica Antone also attended the celebration and attributed the success and safety of residents to the tribal leadership’s swift action to lock down the Caring House during the pandemic.
“Under Dr. Santiago’s recommendation, we locked down the Caring House to keep them safe from COVID-19,” said Lt. Gov. Antone. “To have a five-star rating come out of the pandemic, that says a lot.”
For three years during the pandemic, the staff kept the virus at bay in the Caring House among its staff and residents, who are the most vulnerable. In-person visitation ceased during the lock down. However, they used tablet computers for Zoom calls with family.
Today, in-person visits are allowed and everyone looks forward to being among loved ones again. As Lt. Gov. Antone stated, “It’s great to be here with our elders after going through what we did.”
