Larsen Pavilion, the skilled nursing center at Shell Point Retirement Community, has received the highest possible overall rating of five stars in U.S. News & World Report’s fifth annual Best Nursing Homes, available exclusively at https://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes
The Best Nursing Homes 2013 ratings highlight the top nursing homes in each city and state, out of nearly 16,000 facilities nationwide. U.S. News’s goal is to help users find a home with a strong track record of good care.
Best Nursing Homes draws on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a federal agency that assesses homes in three categories—health inspections, level of nurse staffing, and quality of care—and gives each an overall rating.
U.S. News awarded the “Best Nursing Home” designation to homes that earned an overall rating of five stars from CMS in January 2013.
Along with the ratings, U.S. News has published a series of articles and a step-by-step video to guide users in choosing the right nursing home. The articles and ratings are exclusive to the website and aren’t expected to appear in print.
“Fewer than one out of every five nursing homes got an overall rating of five stars,” said Avery Comarow, U.S. News Health Rankings Editor. “All seniors deserve the best nursing care available, and these are homes that merit their consideration by demonstrating such high quality.” “We’re obviously very thrilled,” said Sherry Brown, director of long term care and Larsen Pavilion administrator. “The five star overall rating is a major achievement and one that is not easy to obtain; we’re very pleased to be given us this recognition and to be listed in this prestigious report.”
More than one year ago, Shell Point completed a seven-year, $32.3 million major renovation of the Larsen Pavilion that included the addition of a free standing state-of-the-art rehabilitation center, activity spaces, waterfront walkway and deck, chapel, dining room, reading area, administrative building, and a complete remodeling of each residential room and bathroom.
However, Brown insists that it isn’t just the newly modernized building that achieves these high standards. “I am extremely proud of our staff, as well for the special effort they make each day to care for our residents,” she said. “Our goal is to provide an individualized, person-centered approach to patient care. We really look at the specific needs of each resident to create as much of a homelike setting as possible.”
Located in the Waterside Medical Complex near the center of Shell Point’s Island community, the Larsen Pavilion is comprised of four floors with 219 beds.
“The Pavilion provides residents with a unique peace of mind, that if they need to stay in the facility – whether it’s for a week or two to recover from surgery, or a long-term stay – they know the quality of care offered is the best available,” said Brown.
“More than 60% of Pavilion admissions are individuals who experience successful recoveries and are able to return to their homes in a relatively short period of time,” she said. “Our goal is to welcome people, get them healthy, and get them back to the best quality of life possible, which ultimately means the most independence possible.”
As such, the Larsen Pavilion’s on-site medical facilities, rehabilitation center, and physical therapy programs have proven to be great successes. The Larsen Pavilion also provides superior memory care for conditions such as Alzheimer’s or stroke-related dementia.
According to Brown, “We dedicate multiple resources to this group, including an entire floor of our facility, a specialized activities staff, and an on-staff behavioral health team.”
The Larsen Pavilion welcomes individuals from anywhere in Southwest Florida and is Medicare-approved.
“We are honored to receive the five star rating and to be included in the listing of Best Nursing Homes in America by U.S. News & World Report,” said Brown. “It truly shows that our resident care and quality are the best based on national, federal ratings. While we celebrate our five-star recognition, we will continue to abide by the highest standards and quality of care that Shell Point is known to provide.”
Shell Point Retirement Community is a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community located in Fort Myers just off Summerlin Road and McGregor Boulevard, two miles before the Sanibel causeway. Shell Point has received national accreditation from CARF-CCAC, and is a nationally recognized leader in the retirement industry. The community offers retirement living in a resort-style environment with an 18-hole championship golf course, deep water boating access, and recreational and fitness facilities. To learn more about Shell Point, visit us at www.shellpoint.org or call 1-800-780-1131
