West Woods of Niles has been recognized as one of the 2009 recipients of the Step I National Quality Award presented by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL).

This year 664 nursing and assisted living facilities from across the nation applied for the quality award,  West Woods being one of the awarded facilities.

Awards will be presented during AHCA/NCAL’s 60th Annual Convention and Exposition, Oct. 4-7, in Chicago, Ill.

The Niles facility received the quality award by showing how staff have integrated the elements of systematic quality improvement into daily operations.

West Woods of Niles demonstrated its organization-wide commitment to person-centered care, defined its principal customers and their expectations, and indicated how it is striving to meet their needs.

The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Award Program was created in 1996 and is modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award – the nation’s premier award for recognizing distinguished achievement.

The AHCA/NCAL National Quality Awards are presented to three levels of achievement: the first level Step I Award; a more rigorous Step II award; and a comprehensive Step III award.

“Our Quality Award is the most prestigious recognition of quality within the long term care profession,” said AHCA/NCAL president and CEO, Bruce Yarwood. “This facility’s achievement places it at the forefront of organizational and performance excellence, where the mission of quality care for elderly and disabled Americans is vigorously pursued.

“West Woods of Niles’ achievement shows that dedicated front line caregivers, administrators, nurses and physicians are committed to providing quality care and to meeting residents’ needs,” Yarwood continued.

West Woods of Niles strives to create a climate in which people are motivated to excel, so that they are engaged in their work and contribute their best.

This type of climate fosters a warm culture that is characterized by optimism, trust, generosity and people working together.

The organization stated that the award is an indication of the hard work that the staff of West Woods of Niles prides themselves on.