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Brandon Oaks LifeCare Community to offer home health care, hospice services in 2016

Virginia Lutheran Homes, Inc., a multi-site, nonprofit, senior living organization has chosen Senior Options, LLC, a subsidiary of Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay, to help develop and advise in the operation of its own home care, home health and hospice services.

Virginia Lutheran Homes operates Brandon Oaks, a continuing care retirement community in Roanoke, and also Luther Manor in Virginia Beach and Luther Crest in New Market.

Brandon Oaks currently serves over 280 residents in independent living, assisted living, intensive assisted living, skilled nursing care and short-term rehabilitation. A new venture in the realm of home care, home health and hospice will allow Brandon Oaks to truly offer a complete array of health care services to both its residents and the greater community.

“Our board has encouraged us to expand our mission into home health, home care and hospice. We know it’s what seniors want and need,” said Heather Neff, president and CEO of Virginia Lutheran Homes, Inc.

Joe Hoff, executive director of Brandon Oaks, added, “This partnership allows us to enhance our continuum by offering additional services to Brandon Oaks’ residents, and also strengthens Brandon Oaks’ ties to the greater Roanoke area.”

As an award-winning community, Brandon Oaks is seeking to deliver the same high-caliber care that is provided to their residents to those in their homes. Brandon Oaks is seeking to obtain licensure in 2016 to begin operations.

Senior Options provides advisory services and operational support to nonprofit senior living organizations wishing to serve seniors beyond the walls of their campuses.

“We are delighted to be working with Virginia Lutheran Homes and Brandon Oaks,” said Ben Unkle, president and CEO of Westminster-Canterbury. “It makes great sense to share resources; and Senior Options is thrilled to see home and community based services grow for the benefit of older adults in the western part of the state. We know we have a winning formula in our home health and hospice programs. We want to help other retirement communities serve more people and serve them better.”

 

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Brandon Oaks LifeCare Community Taps Roanoke Times Executive as New Director of Sales and Marketing

MaryWhelchel_webBrandon Oaks LifeCare Community, an affiliate of Virginia Lutheran Homes, announced that Mary Whelchel has been named the new Director of Sales and Marketing.

Whelchel most recently served as The Roanoke Times’ Director of Retail Advertising since 2006. Prior to that, she was a National Account Executive with The Roanoke Times. Her pattern of success and growth in her previous positions is a testament to her future success at Brandon Oaks.

Whelchel is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications. She also attended the Batten Leadership Institute at Hollins University. Whelchel brings with her years of experience in sales and an understanding of the sales and marketing process.

Brandon LifeCare Community is an award-winning community, both regionally and nationally. “Mary is a great addition to our team at Brandon Oaks,” states Joe Hoff, Executive Director. He continues, “Her past experience with The Roanoke Times, along with her depth of knowledge in sales, marketing and coaching will help us bring more seniors into Brandon Oaks to take advantage of the outstanding care we offer”.

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Assisted Living wins 2015 Silver National Quality Award

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Brandon Oaks LifeCare Community’s Assisted Living division has been selected as a 2015 recipient of the Silver Achievement in Quality Award for its outstanding performance in the healthcare field. The award is one of three distinct awards possible through the National Quality Award Program, presented by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). The competitive award program highlights select centers across the nation that serve as models of excellence in providing high-quality long term and post-acute care.

Brandon Oaks is one of only six facilities in the Commonwealth of Virginia to receive the Silver level award, and the only Assisted Living facility. Brandon Oaks Executive Director, Joe Hoff, states, “We are proud of our staff and leadership at Brandon Oaks Assisted Living for constantly delivering superior resident centered care with an attention to detail”. Hoff also notes, “This achievement mirrors our values across all service lines at Brandon Oaks”.

As a recipient of the Silver Achievement in Quality Award, Brandon Oaks Assisted Living has demonstrated systematic advancements in quality, plans for continual improvement, and sustainable organizational goals. “Brandon Oaks is honored to have received the Bronze, and now the Silver Award from AHCA/NCAL,” states Susan O’Malley, RN, Administrator of Brandon Oaks Assisted Living. O’Malley adds, “There is a tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment in continuous improvement and progress that is sustained”. Now that Brandon Oaks Assisted Living has received both the Bronze Commitment to Quality Award and Silver Achievement in Quality Awards from AHCA/NCAL, they may move forward in developing approaches and achieve performance levels that meet the criteria for the Gold Excellence in Quality Award, the highest award available.

“By successfully applying the rigorous standards of this program, Brandon Oaks Assisted Living has achieved a significant milestone on its quality journey,” said Christine Boldt, Chair of the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Board of Overseers.

All levels of the National Quality Awards will be presented during the AHCA/NCAL 66th Annual Convention and Exposition, October 4-7, 2015, in San Antonio, Texas.

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Brandon Oaks Names New Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Administrator

Brandon Oaks LifeCare Community, an affiliate of Virginia Lutheran Homes, has announced that Ben Higgins, LNHA, has been named the new administrator of Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Higgins is a graduate of James Madison University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Services Administration. Higgins brings with him years of experience in long-term care administration on a local and regional level, having previously acted as regional vice president of operations at American HealthCare, LLC. Most recently, Higgins served as administrator of Liberty Ridge Health and Rehabilitation Center in Lynchburg.

Along with his professional achievements, Higgins also is involved with many industry specific leadership organizations, including the Virginia Health Care Association and the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards.

Brandon Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation is a 5-star rated facility by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and holds a Best Nursing Home ranking from U.S. News and World Report.

“We were seeking a candidate who could help us maintain our high standards of patient care and continue our tradition of excellence in healthcare,” said Joe Hoff, executive director of Brandon Oaks. “We were happy to find those qualities in Ben and are excited for him to join the Brandon Oaks team.”

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Brandon Oaks Assisted Living Receives National Quality Award

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Brandon Oaks LifeCare Community’s Assisted Living has been recognized as a 2014 recipient of the Bronze Commitment to Quality Award, by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), for its dedication to improving the lives of residents through quality care. The award is the first of three distinctions possible through the National Quality Award program.

Brandon Oaks Assisted Living Administrator, Susan O’Malley, RN, commented, “We are honored to have won a bronze quality award and we will continue the journey by pursuing the silver quality award in 2015. I believe this criteria encourages striving for quality in a methodical approach and is beneficial to the staff at Brandon Oaks and the residents we serve.” The program honors centers across the nation that have demonstrated their commitment to improving quality care for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Brandon Oaks Assisted Living was the only assisted living center in Virginia to receive the Bronze Commitment to Quality Award.

“I applaud Brandon Oaks Assisted Living for its commitment to delivering quality care,” said Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “This award represents the dedication that each Bronze recipient has given to improve quality in the long term and post-acute care profession.”

This nation-wide award program has three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Centers begin the quality improvement process at the Bronze level, where they develop an organizational profile with essential performance elements such as vision and mission statements and an assessment of customers’ expectations. Bronze applicants must demonstrate their ability to implement a performance improvement system. Trained examiners review each Bronze application to determine if the center has met the demands of the criteria. As a recipient of the Bronze Commitment to Quality Award, Brandon Oaks Assisted Living may now move forward in developing approaches and achieving performance level that meet the criteria for the Silver Achievement in Quality Award.

“Brandon Oaks is continuously recognized by local publications and the community, so to also be recognized by a well-established national healthcare organization demonstrates the quality of care we offer,” states Brandon Oaks Executive Director Joe Hoff.

The award will be presented to Brandon Oaks Assisted Living during the AHCA/NCAL’s 65th Annual Convention and Exposition, October 5-8, 2014 in Washington, D.C.

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Steady as You Go

The more you move, the less you risk falling.

If you feel unsteady and worry that you’ll fall, your instinct probably is to avoid risks. You might not feel confident walking far or doing much physical activity. But to become steadier and reduce your risk of falling, you have to overcome those worries and be more active – safely.

A recent study in BMJ (British Medical Journal) shows that moving more may protect against tumbles and injury. Researchers found that among 4,305 older adults, those who exercised regularly were 37 percent less likely to be injured from a fall than their sedentary counterparts.

Physical activity improves balance, cognitive function, reaction time and range of motion, so you’re more likely to catch yourself and less likely to take a tumble. This is particularly important for those with arthritis, say Brian Housle, and exercise physiologist and fitness director at Duke University Health System in Durham, N.C.

“If you have a limited range of motion in your knees or hips, you aren’t able to lift your feet as high, which makes you more apt to trip,” he says.

Stay active, and do at least one of these types of exercise to protect against falls.

TAI CHI: This gentle martial art can improve balance and coordination. In fact, a study in the Journal of Gerontology showed that people took half as many spills after practicing tai chi for six months as people who only did stretches.

BALANCE EXERCISES: Standing with your feet close together or on one leg can improve your strength and stamina, which will help your balance.

YOGA: Like balance exercises, yoga can build your strength, flexibility and stamina and help you relax while maintaining your balance.

STRENGTH TRAINING: Working major muscle groups with weights or resistance bands builds muscle, boosts bone health and helps support joints, lowering the risk of falls and injury.

-Sharon Liao