Phoebe Ministries Receives Awards for Leader of the Year and Innovation of the Year

Allentown, PA – Phoebe Ministries received two Distinguished Service Awards from LeadingAge PA, the  Pennsylvania state association of non-profit senior services.

MaryKay McMahon, Executive Director, Phoebe Berks, was chosen as the recipient of the LeadingAge PA 2013 Leader of the Year award and the Phoebe Wyncote campus was awarded the 2013 Innovation of the Year for the Change to Care Program.

“Phoebe has now received both the Leader of the Year and Innovation of the Year awards twice in the last three years. We are proud of Phoebe’s role as the leader in senior care and are honored to be recognized by this significant achievement,” comments Scott Stevenson, President and CEO of Phoebe Ministries.

McMahon was awarded Leader of the Year in recognition of her being a long-time champion for providing creative service, support, and education to LeadingAge PA members through sharing best practices in operations, marketing initiatives, institutional advancement strategies and community outreach.

“Phoebe Ministries nominated McMahon for her accomplishments as a servant leader with a distinguished record of service, dedication, and foresight working to improve the quality of life for the Phoebe’s residents both in Bucks and Berks Counties,” adds Stevenson.

Initiated in November 2011 by Susan Schlener, RN, BSN, Director of Nursing,Change to Care is a daily program at Phoebe Wyncote designed to reduce fall rates and maintain the highest standards of care for skilled nursing residents. An upbeat song broadcasted through the community signals employees from all departments to stop what they are doing and tend to residents.

LeadingAge PA chose to recognize this program as Innovation of the Year because of its exceptional outcomes. From the first quarter to the second quarter after the program’s introduction, the number of falls was reduced by 60%. Phoebe Wyncote has had 0 residents at risk for dehydration since the program started last year. Skilled nursing facilities normally make an effort to remain below the 10% benchmark for residents at risk for dehydration.

“Change to Care has had such a dramatic effect on resident outcomes it is slated to be instituted at Phoebe’s other skilled nursing communities in the coming year,” says Stevenson. “Thinking outside of the box has promoted a mutually fulfilling increase in engagement between staff and residents.”

In 2011, William J. Davies, former Chief Operating Officer, Phoebe Ministries, was honored as Leader of the Year. Phoebe Allentown’s Telemedicine project in conjunction with Lehigh Valley Health Network was also recognized as Innovation of the Year.

The awards will be presented to the winners during an awards presentation and brunch at the 2013 LeadingAge PA Annual Conference entitled “Celebrating our Story:  50 Years of Caring” from June 19-21 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

LeadingAge PA, formerly PANPHA, is a Pennsylvania association of not-for-profit organizations representing the interests of over 350 long-term care organizations. Its mission is to promote the interests of their members by enhancing their ability to provide quality services efficiently and effectively and by representing their members through cooperative action.