March 9, 2018

ATLANTA, (Feb. 13, 2018) -- Lenbrook, Atlanta’s only nationally accredited life plan community, has once again earned a five-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for its skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. Lenbrook's Health Care Center, with 60 private skilled nursing suites, is Medicare-certified and undergoes a rigorous on-site inspection survey by CMS staff each year.

CMS developed the five-star quality rating system to help consumers compare skilled nursing service providers. Each year, CMS rates the nation's skilled nursing facilities on a one to five scale and publishes the ratings on its website. The website provides further details on the three primary components of the rating system: health inspections, quality measures and staffing.
"Our rating is particularly meaningful this year since it includes additional assessments regarding new CMS regulations on safety and disaster planning; patient-centered care; and resident involvement," explained Darlene Ruffin-Alexander, Vice President of Health Services for Lenbrook. "The CMS survey team conducted in-depth inspections for healthcare quality and staffing plus expanded interviews with our Health Care residents and their family members to gauge personal engagement and satisfaction."

Ruffin-Alexander also noted that Medicare's star rating is one of a several indicators consumers can use to evaluate and compare health care and rehabilitation facilities. "Another key indicator is accreditation by CARF (the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities)," Ruffin-Alexander said. "Lenbrook is proud to be both a five-star Medicare-certified healthcare center and a CARF-accredited life plan community."

Lenbrook also recently received U.S. News & World Report's highest rating -- "top performing" -- for excellence in health inspections, nursing staffing and medical quality control in its latest "Best Nursing Homes" report.

About 13 percent of the nation's 15,000 Medicare-certified skilled nursing facilities have earned Medicare's five-star rating and about 10 percent of the nation's nearly 2,000 continuing care retirement communities (now called life plan communities) have earned CARF accreditation. Lenbrook became the first life plan community in Atlanta to earn national accreditation in 1992 and remains the only community in metro Atlanta to have done so. Lenbrook has earned five stars from Medicare every year since becoming certified in 2013.

“We welcome third-party validation of our operations and pride ourselves on the high level of competency and compassion of our staff," Ruffin-Alexander said.

About Lenbrook 
Lenbrook is the first and only Life Plan Community in Atlanta to achieve national accreditation by CARF, the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Lenbrook's Health Care Center is five-star-rated by Medicare and also by U.S. News & World Report, which named Lenbrook in its 2017 Best Nursing Homes Report. Lenbrook also holds a BBB investment-grade rating from Fitch. Founded in 1983, Lenbrook enables its residents to enjoy the gifts of independence, good health and personal fulfillment through engaging programs, services and amenities. Visit lenbrook-atlanta.org.