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Nursing center, ACAP lauded for oral health effortÂ
PRESQUE ISLE — The Presque Isle Rehab and Nursing Center (PIRNC) earned a recent Maine Health Care Association (MHCA) 2016 Celebrating Excellence in Innovation Award during a recognition ceremony held at the Augusta Civic Center.
Contributed photo
The Presque Isle Rehab and Nursing Center has been awarded a 2016 Celebrating Excellence in Innovation Award by the Maine Health Care Association, in recognition of its collaboration with the Aroostook County Action Program on oral health care training. At the award presentation, held recently in Augusta, are, from left, Richard Erb, CEO, Maine Health Care Association; Anne Chapman, ACAP oral health educator; Robin Stetson, PIRNC director of nursing; Rose-Marie Louten, PIRNC administrator; and Maine First Lady Ann LePage.
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The center was recognized for its collaboration with the Aroostook County Action Program to improve the oral health care training of its staff.
The awards, which were presented by Maine First Lady Ann LePage, are given annually to long-term-care providers that have designed and implemented an outstanding program that has demonstrated success in improving resident quality of life/care, enhancing employee development and relationships or engaging community members or groups in facility life.
ACAP officials said they were pleased to celebrate the achievement with the PIRNC.
“ACAP received a grant from the American Dental Association Foundation (ADA) to fund this pilot project,” explained Anne Chapman, ACAP Oral Health Educator. “Thanks to the commitment of PIRNC’s Rose-Marie Louten, administrator, and Robin Stetson, RN, DON, we were able to develop a training and education program for staff that has successfully improved the oral health of PIRNC residents.”
“We are honored to receive this Celebrating Excellence in Innovation Award,” said Louten. “Thanks to ADA funding and our collaboration with ACAP, the oral health care of our residents has improved. Our staff are dedicated, caring professionals and they welcomed the additional training.
“We are delighted that Anne has agreed to provide ongoing instruction every six months to help ensure new and existing staff have the tools and resources they need to provide oral health care to our residents,” Louten added.
To be considered, nominees must meet certain criteria, including demonstration of a best practices approach and tangible results to show that the creative ideas and practices have contributed to resident quality of life and care. Nominations for the award were submitted by long term care facilities statewide and winners were selected by an independent panel of judges with long term care expertise.
According to MHCA President and CEO Richard Erb, “Maine’s long-term-care facilities provide compassionate quality care on a daily basis. Providers are genuinely committed to trying new approaches and techniques to better serve their residents. This luncheon and awards program are a tribute to their dedication and our way of saying thank you ‚Ä“ we appreciate your efforts in the pursuit of innovation.”
MHCA is a nonprofit trade association representing 250 long-term-care providers statewide including nursing homes and assisted living facilities. PIRNC is a 61 bed skilled and long-term-care nursing facility that has been family owned and operated since 1976.
