We’re asking our residents a lot of questions these days. While we’re always interested in what they have to say, the recent Resident Satisfaction Survey and the accreditation process now underway in many of our communities give us more formal means to hear from those we serve.
Since the start of American Baptist Homes of the West nearly 60 years ago, we have never been an organization to rest on our laurels. We always strive to do better. One way we do that is to ask our residents regularly whether the quality of the services we provide meets their needs—and their expectations.
In the annual satisfaction survey administered by the Holleran Consulting Company, residents rated and commented on a number of areas: administration, daily living, health services, facilities/environment, dining services and overall satisfaction. They generally considered their communities good to excellent, and they were particularly pleased with our staff’s friendliness and courtesy, the range of resident activities, and the cleanliness of common spaces. That’s good news. But residents also told us there are a few things we can do better.
We’re listening. Each year, as we develop corporate and community budgets and strategic plans, we consider what we learn through these surveys and we take steps to improve. In the past few years, survey feedback has prompted community leaders to make significant changes.
For instance, we learned we could do a better job welcoming and orienting new residents. In response, Valle Verde in Santa Barbara, Calif., added a new program to its orientation. Now, the community’s entire leadership team sits down for lunch with the most recent arrivals and gets to know them personally.
Residents of Plymouth Village in Redlands, Calif., said they’d like dining room hours expanded, and the community’s leaders did just that. Residents at Pilgrim Haven in Los Altos, Calif., asked that transportation hours be increased and, with resident input, the local management team found a way to increase them.
In each of these communities, the latest surveys show resident satisfaction has gone up. That’s what we strive for: to improve in specific, locally determined ways that matter to those we serve.
The accreditation process is another way we ensure that ABHOW remains focused on continuous improvement in the service of our residents. Our communities are benefiting from resident input as they prepare for assessment by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities/Continuing Care Accreditation Commission. When survey teams visit our communities in the coming months, they will make conversations with stakeholders—including residents—part of their assessment. That gives us another opportunity to hear from our customers.
In the meantime, as always, I hope residents won’t hesitate to let us know what’s on their minds. Surveys and the accreditation process provide important information that helps us plan for the future. The executive directors and leadership teams in each of our communities are always happy to hear from residents. I’m always open to feedback, too.
