Care facilities recognized for quality

WEST DES MOINES — Two Iowa County care facilities have earned the 2025 Bronze Commitment to Quality Award from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

Marengo’s Rose Haven Nursing Home and English Valley Nursing Care Center in North English were among 45 long-term care providers in Iowa to earn the award. The state was second in the nation for the number of 2025 Bronze-level recipients.

“Our facility is committed to quality care for our residence,” said Jalissa Winn, administrator for English Valley Nursing Care Center. “I think we have really good teamwork right now, through all our departments.”

To earn the award, a facility has to answer questions relating to their facility, their residence, things they’ve improved on and things they want to improve on, said Winn. The application is “kind of a snapshot” of the facility, she said.

The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program is a three-level process reviewed and evaluated by trained experts against a set of nationally recognized standards for organizational excellence, said Winn.

The standards of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program help organizations achieve superior performance over time and improve the quality of life and care of long term care residents.

“The quality improvement journey starts at the Bronze level, where we develop an organizational profile detailing among other elements: our vision, mission, key customers and key strengths and challenges,” said Winn

Bronze applicants must demonstrate the use of a performance improvement system. Trained examiners review each application to determine if a center has met the demands of the criteria, said Winn.

“This recognition serves as a testament to the unwavering dedication of our entire team in providing the highest quality of care to our residents,” said Winn. “It is a reflection of our collective efforts and commitment to enhancing the lives of those entrusted to our care.”

The Bronze Award is the first of three levels in AHCA/NCAL's National Quality Award Program which recognizes long-term and post-acute care organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment to quality improvement and person-centered care. This year, 653 providers in 46 states received the Bronze designation.

Iowa's 2025 recipients include 13 assisted living communities, 26 skilled nursing facilities and six organizations offering both levels of care, said a press release from Iowa Health Care Association.

Recipients of this year's Silver Award will be announced at the end of June, and the Gold Award recipients in August.

Award recipients will be honored during the Elevating Excellence Awards Ceremony at the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo in Las Vegas Oct. 21.