The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) honored the 2024 National Quality Award recipients in April during a special award ceremony at the Quality Summit in Atlanta. The ceremony, attended by more than 100 award recipients, was originally planned for October 2024 but had to be rescheduled when Hurricane Milton forced the cancellation of Delivering Solutions 24 in Orlando.

Skilled nursing and assisted living awardees from across the country gathered for an exciting evening of recognition that highlighted the 2024 recipients’ exceptional commitment to quality care and continuous process improvement. AHCA/NCAL celebrated the recipients’ journey as part of the National Quality Award Program, which is based on the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. This framework encourages member communities to improve performance in the areas of leadership, strategic planning, customers and workforce, operations, and knowledge management.

“Every step you take—every improvement, every effort—moves our profession forward and makes a difference in the lives of your residents, families, and communities,” said AHCA Vice Chair Chris Wright.

In 2024, more than 800 skilled nursing and assisted living communities nationwide received a Quality Award, the highest number ever in the program’s history. Of those, 737 organizations from 49 states earned the Bronze Quality Award, 139 organizations from 33 states earned the Silver Quality Award, and two organizations earned the Gold Quality Award.

The two Gold recipients for 2024 were Libby Care Center of Cascadia from Libby, Mont., and Lofland Park Center of Seaford, Del. The Gold Quality Award is the highest honor, recognizing the pinnacle of excellence in long term care. This award, which only 53 organizations have received, highlights excellence in leadership, strategic planning, and resident satisfaction.

“We accept this Gold Quality Award as a testament to the hard work and dedication of every team member, every day,” said Tawnya Dennis, senior administrator at Lofland Park Center. “But we also know our journey toward excellence doesn’t end here. We will continue to pursue quality improvement in every aspect of our work and find new ways to better serve our community.”

In a video message, Rachel Toland, administrator of Libby Care Center of Cascadia, echoed those sentiments.
“The growth I’ve seen in my team as they commit every day to being the best care providers they can be has been the most rewarding part of this journey.”

Each year, AHCA/NCAL is proud to honor centers that achieve a Quality Award for their dedication to quality, improvement, and success. The 2025 National Quality Award recipients will be recognized and celebrated in October at Delivering Solutions 25 in Las Vegas.​

Erin Walsh is manager, public affairs at the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living.