Good Samaritan Society

In 1986, Jennie Kavanaugh started her career with Good Samaritan Society – Woodland, known at the time as Woodland Acres. Jennie began as a registered nurse, then switched to PRN for a few years to raise her two daughters. She then came back to the community and served as a full-time charge nurse, Medicare nurse, assisted living nurse and finally an MDS nurse. Additionally, Jennie also assisted at other Good Samaritan Society locations including Bethany, Pine River and International Falls. Jennie says she's proud of the lifelong friendships she has formed with residents and past and present coworkers. In reflecting on her time with the Society, Jennie recalls a storm at the Woodland location in the summer of 2015 when straight-line winds hit the Brainerd area. Many staff members had to walk until they could get to an open road to get a ride to work. Jennie said, "Staff were amazing. They showed such camaraderie and teamwork to care for the residents!" Thank you, Jennie, for your incredible 38 years of service. Wishing you all the best in your retirement! 🎉

Hundreds of rural nursing homes will be forced to close due to CMS' minimum staffing mandate. This week, leaders of the Good Samaritan Society and other long-term care providers gathered in Washington, D.C. on Capitol Hill to ask lawmakers to intervene at the 2024 AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing. Good Samaritan Society president and CEO Nate Schema said, "Access to care has already become more difficult because of the historic challenges we've had since the pandemic. The staffing rule makes matters worse. 1,500 positions remain unfilled. It's dangerous and unnecessary to make it harder for rural seniors to access care in communities, when we already provide exceptional quality care today with a team that treats residents like family." Read more: https://bit.ly/3xdKLgr

"The residents and families we serve, and the caregivers who have dedicated their life to this work, are worth fighting for. I am urging the Administration to refocus its efforts and energy on solutions that will build back the caregiving workforce and protect access to high quality care for our seniors close to home." Good Samaritan Society president and CEO Nate Schema shares his full statement from the press conference at this week's AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing. Read below. 👇

The AHCA/NCAL announced that 23 Good Samaritan Society locations received the 2024 Bronze – Commitment in Quality Award. The Bronze Award is the first of three distinctions possible through the AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program, which recognizes long-term care providers across the nation that have demonstrated improved quality outcomes for staff, residents and individuals with disabilities in long term and post-acute care. Society president and CEO Nate Schema said, "This award is a testament to the incredible leadership and staff at our Good Samaritan Society locations. Every position plays an important role in senior care – from CNAs and RNs to housekeeping and activities, our staff are vital to our residents who call the Good Samaritan Society home. I could not be prouder of our staff’s unwavering commitment to providing the best quality of care and quality of life for our residents. We are truly privileged to do this work and serve the seniors and families who have been entrusted to us." See the full list of Society locations that received the award:

Congratulations to Mary Toel on your retirement! 🎉 Mary served as the director of social services for Good Samaritan Society – Le Mars and dedicated over 40 amazing years to the Society. Friends, staff, residents and families gathered at the community to help celebrate all the lives she's touched over the years!

"...the RNs and the CNAs simply don't exist, and that's what will be the priority for us to discuss with legislators so that they can understand that." Aimee Middleton, chief operating officer at the Good Samaritan Society, shares what rural long-term care leaders are focusing on at the 2024 AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing in Washington, D.C. Workforce in the long-term care industry remains the toughest challenge faced, especially for rural locations. The Good Samaritan Society continues to invest in retention and recruitment efforts to help alleviate some workforce challenges, but the reality is that there are not enough caregivers to be able to meet the federal minimum staffing rule. Aimee notes an important part of the Society's message for legislators is that 70% of all long-term care locations today are in rural areas and therefore face additional challenges. Lifting up the voices of frontline workers and leaders across these rural areas is vital for lawmakers to understand the implications of the final staffing rule.

Long-term care leaders like Laura Salonek, administrator at Good Samaritan Society – Howard Lake in rural Minnesota, are advocating for seniors at the 2024 AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill. Laura notes that the final minimum staffing rule for long-term care facilities will make it harder for rural communities to give seniors access to quality care. As the long-term care industry continues to struggle finding qualified caregivers, like it has since the start of the pandemic, locations like Howard Lake, with a 5-star quality rating, low turnover and great work environment will suffer, and so will residents. Laura says, "My worry is, if this mandate is in place and we have to have even additional staff, we would be forced to stop taking residents or discharge residents. My fear is, where will they go? Where will they go to find quality care like the care we provide in Howard Lake?"

Tiffany Zahnow, lead medication assistant at Good Samaritan Society – Albion shares her priorities in connecting with elected officials in Washington, D.C. for the 2024 AHCA/NCAL Congressional Briefing. Tiffany discusses how vital rural long-term care facilities are in small communities for residents, staff and families, and why it's an important topic of conversation for law makers amid the final rule of the unfunded federal staffing mandate for long-term care providers. Being a part of frontline staff means that people like Tiffany see and care for the residents every day and know the importance of keeping care close to home. She says, "I really enjoy taking care of the residents and meeting their needs, hearing their stories, meeting their families and participating in activities with them in our community."

This week, Good Samaritan Society leaders are on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. with the AHCA/NCAL for their annual Congressional Briefing. They're sharing how the final rule that was released for an unfunded federal staffing mandate for long-term care providers threatens access to care for seniors in rural areas. Nate Schema, president and CEO of the Society, shares his excitement for record attendance at the event and stresses the importance of advocating for policy change in the long-term care industry, especially with the recent finalized staffing rule: "It's a really important time in our industry's history. One could argue that there is no greater existential threat than the one being posed by the current administration and this final staffing rule... We know, being part of a large integrated health care system, that it's not just about those that we're privileged to serve, it's about the entire ecosystem. And that's why it's so important that we're today, telling our story, telling our message, talking about what it means to have quality care close to home."

Next week, leaders from the Good Samaritan Society will be in Washington, D.C. to discuss policies and solutions to protect access to care for seniors in rural America. While at the nation’s capital, Nate Schema, president and CEO of the Society, will share insights on the effects of current labor shortages and voice concerns about the recently finalized federal minimum staffing rule during a press conference alongside leaders from the AHCA/NCAL. Tom Syverson, director of government relations at the Society, will receive the Joe Warner Patient Advocacy Award, which recognizes long-term care professionals for their outstanding commitment to advocacy and quality improvement. Learn more: https://bit.ly/455Oklu