Nestled in the densely young populated neighborhood of Adams-Normandie is St. John of God Retirement and Care Center, an independent and assisted living facility that serves the needs of senior adults. The center is a skilled nursing facility with rehabilitative services developed for both individuals and couples.
“We offer a plethora of activities for the residents. My job consists on personalizing activities for every resident,” said Mariela Flores, the facility’s activities coordinator. “I plan approximately 20 activities per month- its not just Bingo and Scrabble.”
In fact, St. John of God even hosts annual Holiday parties for residents and family members. This year’s Halloween party will take place on Saturday Oct. 29. Flores and her assistants prepare personalized Halloween treat bags for patients and their grandchildren.
“Residents appreciate St. John of God because staff members treat each person like family, including visitors and residents,” said Flores. “We aren’t just a business, we cherish people who live and make their homes here,” she said.
With 156 beds and 147 patients, St. John of God is among the largest California nursing homes according to HealthGrove, a health news and information site with an emphasis on data-driven analysis. At St. John of God, the total of 1.45 licensed staff hours per resident per day is close to the average in California of 1.53, but greater to the average in the U.S. of 1.41 hours. The U.S. News & World Report indicates a high number of staff hours per resident per day may indicate more attentive care.
“It’s all about taking care of the people, exceeding their expectations and anticipating their needs,” explained Flores.
St. John of God describes itself as the only five-star Medicare-rated retirement community in the neighborhood and as one of the largest nurse employers in the area, with a 55-member staff. In addition to general skilled nursing care, St. John of God offers hospice care, in-home care, independent living, palliative care and subacute cure. Services that are specific to certain medical conditions are also offered, such as Alzheimer’s care, audiology care, cancer care, dementia care, diabetes care among others. The amenities include one and two bedroom units, beautician/barber, chapel and religious services, computers and internet access, a designated family visiting area, a fitness center, gardens, guest lodging, laundry rooms and service, a library, a sauna, a swimming pool, TV and media rooms, two dining halls and room service as needed.
In 2012, the Medicare rating for St. John of God was one star, which is a lower rating than 85 percent of nursing homes in California. Mediacare inspections assess whether the nursing home meets certain minimum standards in areas ranging from quality of care to fire safety to administration. Joseph Rodriguez, the California public advocate, who is in charge of investigating complaints of violations and deficiencies, inspects each nursing home once a year. In 2013 Rodriguez filed a total of 30 health deficiencies, 15 of which were fire deficiencies. He filed seven environmental deficiencies, five malnutrition reports, administrative deficiencies, and three corridor deficiencies among others.
“We’ve worked very hard at modernizing to meet and exceed our residents’ expectations, “said Mariela Flores, the facility’s activities coordinator. “We’re constantly looking to innovate with new programming, as well as additional construction projects in the near future.”
The amount of deficiencies in the facility was a catalyst for its recent structural improvements, an effort that began that same year. These improvements included renovated dining areas, common rooms, hallways, bathroom and offices. In 2015, HealthGrove reported the total number of health deficiencies had decreased by half in two years.
“We’re here to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of people through all season of life with compassionate and skilled care,” said Flores.
Despite the decrease in health deficiencies, St. John of God is only the 62nd highest ranked retirement center in the city of Los Angeles. But it is the only available and affordable retirement center in the area.
Here is St. John of God Retirement and Care Center location in the neighborhood of Adams-Normandie: