Feb. 12, 2019—Kendal at Lexington has been awarded two new industry-leading, five-year accreditations for its Shenandoah Valley Life Plan Community,
The 18-year old Life Plan Community and comprehensive care campus reached the high level of achievement required to be recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) as both a ‘Person Centered Long Term Care Community’ and a ‘Person Centered Long-Term Care Community with a Dementia Care Specialty.’
Kendal at Lexington scored exceptionally well on the performance benchmark assessment, achieving a perfect score in 24 out of 26 measured categories including Stakeholder Satisfaction, Health and Safety, Strategic Planning, Risk Management, Technology, Financial Planning and Management, Accessibility, and Rights of Persons Served.
CARF Reviewers identified nine areas of distinct strength including “Strong and Stable Financial Performance,” “Comprehensive and Thorough Risk Management,” “Strong Leadership Team,” and a “Remarkably Robust Dementia Care Program.”
Community residents also communicated high levels of satisfaction; citing they felt “empowered and engaged.”
“In Kendal’s earlier days, as a resident, and later Board Member, I spent many hours working with staff towards the goal of achieving our first CARF accreditation,” Kendal at Lexington resident Ruth Woodcock said. “Great was our satisfaction when we received it. Now, I am so happy and proud that we have been accredited for the third time.”
Kendal at Lexington’s strong leadership team and highly engaged Board of Directors also received exemplary scores during the extensive CARF accreditation process.
“At Kendal, a CARF accreditation is also a manifestation of our culture,” Sean Kelly, President and CEO of The Kendal Corporation said. “The process demands evidence of the deployment of best practices. It’s a process that is fueled by inclusion and teamwork and exemplifies an intention to continuously improve!”
To merit a Life Plan Community accreditation such as the one Kendal at Lexington just received, organizations must aspire to meet about 1200 standards, which are reviewed annually and are updated and revised as appropriate. Main areas of evaluation include ‘Care Process for Persons Served,’ ‘Aspire to Excellence,’ and ‘Specialty Population Designations.’
The CARF accreditation process starts with a provider’s commitment to continuous improvement and culminates with an external review and recognition that the provider’s business and service practices meet international standards of quality.
“We are an organization intent on the continuous pursuit of identifying and implementing ways to improve the quality of life for our residents,” Executive Director Mina Tepper added. “We are proud when Kendal communities achieve their accreditation goals and really grateful for the significant effort and teamwork (among staff and residents!) that helps it happen.”
About Kendal at Lexington
Kendal at Lexington is a CARF-accredited, not-for-profit Life Plan Retirement Community located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. The 85-acre campus sits just one mile from Main Street in beautiful Lexington, Virginia, and features a farmland setting with panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Known for its celebration of lifelong learning, engaged residents, and Quaker values, the Kendal at Lexington community offers high-quality independent living cottages, assisted living and skilled nursing care. In 2018, Kendal at Lexington began construction on a much anticipated $40 million campus upgrade and expansion program designed to enhance on campus care capabilities at the Borden Health Center and the Webster Assisted Living Center, expand the Anderson Dining Room, and add 30 new independent living cottages to