On Sept. 27, officials from the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) presented the second of two 2024 Governor's Awards for Quality Care in Health Care Facilities.
Eldora Specialty Care is a 49-bed nursing facility located at 1510 22nd St. in Eldora. Administrator Susan Eichmeier accepted the award during a ceremony at the facility. The facility received one nomination from a resident’s family member and three letters of recommendation.
Eichmeier said, “We are honored to receive the Governor’s Award for Quality. The team at Eldora Specialty Care is proud to be recognized for the quality care we provide to our residents and their families. This award serves as validation for the hard work and dedication that our team members provide. It truly is our pleasure to accept this award for providing high-quality, compassionate care.”
Residents described the facility culture as “a genuine sense of family at Eldora between the residents and staff.” This sentiment was also expressed by Marlene Lepper, who nominated Eldora Specialty Care for the Governor’s Quality Award. Lepper’s husband has lived at the facility since December 2022. She said they have felt welcomed by all staff at all levels of the organization since the first day. Lepper noted that they not only take care of her husband, they look out for her as well, enjoy her daily visits and include her in activities.
Lepper said, “I truly believe that part of the reason Eldora Specialty Care is unique and special is because everyone here really cares about each other! The residents meet in the afternoon and you can hear them laughing and teasing each other down the hall and then if anyone gets sick or sadly passes on, everyone shares sorrow. In other words, this place is a family, a community! And it's not just the residents either - the entire staff cares about each other and the residents. And it's just not because it's their job, they are just exceptionally caring and kind people.”
Upon entering Eldora Specialty Care, visitors walk into a main living area where residents gather to socialize with one another, gather around the baby grand piano for music, or enjoy bingo and other activities. Resident rooms are decorated with many personal possessions so the resident can feel more at home. Many of the staff have worked at Eldora for a long time and the tenure for staff totals 309 years. Newer staff members said they had never worked in this type of environment, and that they love talking with the residents, hearing their stories and participating in special activities with them.
DIAL Director Larry Johnson, Jr., said, "It’s very evident that the staff at Eldora Specialty Care take pride in what they do and want to provide the highest quality of service for the residents. This is just the type of facility this award was intended to recognize. I applaud the staff at Eldora Specialty Care and the dedication they have to providing quality care to their residents."