Senior Helpers of The Villages Awarded Home Care Accreditation

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 17, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Senior Helpers of The Villages announced that it has earned The Joint Commission'sGold Seal of Approval® for Home Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to providing safe and effective care.

Senior Helpers underwent a rigorous on-site survey. During the survey, compliance with home care standards reflecting key organization areas was evaluated, including the provision of care, treatment and services, emergencymanagement, human resources, individual rights and responsibilities, and leadership. The accreditation process also provided Senior Helpers with education and guidance to help staff continue to improve its home care program's performance.
Established in 1988, The Joint Commission's Home Care Accreditation program supports the efforts of its accredited organizations to help deliver safe, high quality care and services. More than 6,000 home care programs currently maintain accreditation, awarded for a three-year period, byThe Joint Commission.

"When individuals engage a home care provider they want to be sure that provider is capable of providing safe, quality care," said Margherita Labson, RN, M.S., executive director, Home Care Accreditation program, The Joint Commission. "As the home care setting becomes increasingly popular, it is important that home care providers are able to demonstrate that they are capable of providing safe, high quality care. Accreditation by The Joint Commission and the gold seal serve as an indication that the organization has demonstrated compliance to these recognized standards of safe and quality care."

"Senior Helpers of The Villages is pleased to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation," added Bernie Fitzgerald, Owner, Senior Helpers. "Staff from across our organization continue to work together to strengthen the continuum of care and to deliver and maintain optimal home care services for those in our community."

The Joint Commission's home care standards are developed in consultation with health care experts, home care providers and researchers, as well as industry experts, purchasers and consumers. The standards are informed by scientific literature and expert consensus to help organizations measure, assess and improve performance.

About The Joint Commission:

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 20,500 health care organizations and programs in the United States, including hospitals and health care organizations that provide ambulatory and office-based surgery, behavioral health, home care, laboratory and nursing home services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. The Joint Commission has two nonprofit affiliate organizations: The Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare aims to solve health care's most critical safety and quality problems and Joint Commission Resources (JCR) provides consulting services, educational services and publications. Joint Commission International, a division of JCR, accredits and certifies international health care organizations. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

About Senior Helpers:

Senior Helpers is one of the largest in-home senior care services in the U.S. with over 250 business operators across the county. Founded in 2001 with a vision to help seniors who wished to remain in their homes despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges, Senior Helpers has now cared for tens of thousands of seniors with a pledge to provide "care and comfort at a moment's notice." Senior Helpers offers a wide range of personal and companion care, including certified Alzheimer's and dementia care services, to assist seniors living independently with a strong focus on quality of life for the client and peace of mind for their families. Learn more by visiting www.SeniorHelpers.com