News – Broad Reach Healthcare

March News from Broad Reach Healthcare

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:41:17 GMT

Good Things Are Happening at Broad Reach Healthcare!

Length Of Service Awards:

-Katharin: Infection Preventionist Nurse - Celebrating 1 year

-Mary: Social Worker - Celebrating 1 year

-Joseph: CNA - Celebrating 1 year

-Joel: CNA - Celebrating 1 year

-Francie: CNA - Celebrating 1 year

-Madalin: CNA - Celebrating 1 year

Celebrations:

We are proud to celebrate our continued partnership with MassHire through our Nurse Aide Training Program at Broad Reach Healthcare. To mark the success of this collaboration, and the many CNAs who have completed their training with us, we recently introduced custom scrubs featuring both the Broad Reach and MassHire logos. Thank you to MassHire for being a valued partner in helping grow the next generation of compassionate caregivers.

Fun at the Bowling Alley:

Our residents hit the candlestick lanes and had an absolute blast! There is nothing quite like a little friendly competition to bring out the strikes, smiles, and everything in between. Bowling has a wonderful way of bringing people together, and it was so heartwarming to see our residents cheering each other on and soaking up every moment. We can't wait to do it again!

The SAIL Program at The Victorian:

There's something truly special happening at The Victorian Assisted Living! We have been so lucky to welcome students and staff from the SAIL Program (Students Acquiring Independent Learning) at Monomoy Regional High School into our community. Led by Director Michelle Good, this wonderful group of students in grades 8–12 has been spending time with our residents, sharing in activities, laughter, and meaningful conversation.

From favorite games to heartfelt chats and everything in between, the joy in the room is undeniable. Our residents absolutely love having the students here, and it is just as clear how much the students enjoy their time with us. Moments like these are what community is truly all about, bringing generations together, building friendships, and creating memories that brighten everyone's day. We are so grateful to Michelle and all of the SAIL students for the happiness they bring each and every visit.

Jan/Feb Happenings at Broad Reach Healthcare

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 20:05:08 GMT

A wonderful start to 2026 at Broad Reach Healthcare!

Length Of Service Awards:

This past month, we honored several staff members during our Length of Service Ceremony. Please join us in congratulating these dedicated team members for their commitment to care.

-Laura: Financial Services- Celebrating 15 years
-Donna: CFO- Celebrating 5 years
-Jean: Hospice RN Case Manager- Celebrating 5 years
-Lisa: Recruitment & Retention Specialist- Celebrating 3 years
-Kathy: Hospice Director of Quality Assurance & Education, recently promoted to Hospice Administrator- Celebrating 1 year
-Jennifer: CNA who began in our CNA Apprenticeship Program- Celebrating 1 year
-Lucy: Financial Services- Celebrating 1 year

Celebrations:

We are honored to celebrate Dina’s 107th birthday this February! Dina has been a resident at Liberty Commons for just over two years and has been supported throughout much of that time by our compassionate hospice services. Our team has been providing ongoing comfort, care and support. Dina continues to do well and remains surrounded by a dedicated team who cherish her presence.

Staff Spotlight:

We’re so proud to celebrate four of our Registered Nurses who are currently earning their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The best part? Their education is fully paid for by Broad Reach Healthcare! Through our partnership with UMass Lowell’s online RN-to-BSN program, our nurses are able to advance their careers while continuing to provide exceptional care to our community.

Community:

It has certainly been a snowy winter! Recently, a thoughtful group of Monomoy High School students brightened our days by building a cheerful family of snowmen just outside our windows. Their snowy creations have brought plenty of smiles and sparked joyful conversations among our residents. With the colder temperatures continuing, it looks like our frosty visitors will be keeping us company for a little while longer. We are so grateful to these students for spreading happiness and reminding us how even the simplest acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference.

December News from Broad Reach Healthcare

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:54:25 GMT

December Happenings and Holiday Events at Broad Reach.

Scenes from the Holiday Season:

Surrounded by beautiful Christmas decor and the glow of the menorah, our residents, staff, families and visitors all enjoyed a season filled with light, tradition, and togetherness. We were also grateful for a special visit from the Monomoy Middle School Chorus, who brought holiday cheer to Liberty Commons by singing carols for our residents, making the season even more memorable.

Honoring a Veteran in Our Care:

Broad Reach Healthcare Hospice was honored to recognize Donald, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps this past month. We thank you for your service, your sacrifices, and your dedication to protecting our freedom. As a symbol of our deepest gratitude, we were proud to present Donald with a pin and certificate in appreciation of his service. Broad Reach Hospice is honored and pleased to provide a Veteran Pinning Ceremony to those we care for that have served in the military.

Staff Celebrations:

The Broad Reach team came together to celebrate at our Holiday Gala, and it was a wonderful evening from start to finish. With great food, plenty of laughs, and even better company, it was the perfect way to reflect on the year and enjoy time together outside of our day-to-day routines. We’re grateful for the dedication and teamwork our staff brings every day, and this special night was a well-deserved opportunity to relax, connect, and celebrate the season as one Broad Reach community.

November Traditions at Broad Reach Healthcare

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 16:31:36 GMT

November traditions embody what makes Broad Reach so special.

A Thanksgiving Tradition Rooted in Community and Gratitude

At Broad Reach Healthcare, Thanksgiving has always been about more than just the turkey and the trimmings, it’s about gratitude, tradition, and giving back to our amazing staff as well as the community we’re fortunate to be part of. Each year, we carry forward a long-standing tradition that reflects these values, gifting every Broad Reach employee with a Thanksgiving turkey to enjoy with their families, or, if they choose, to donate to the Chatham Food Pantry.

This year, our team’s generosity shined brightly. Thanks to their heartfelt contributions, we were able to donate about 25 turkeys to local families in need. As prices rise and the season becomes more challenging for many, these donations help ensure that more households can gather around a holiday table filled with warmth, nourishment, and togetherness.

In the spirit of giving and celebration, we also raffled off a beautifully curated Thanksgiving basket to our staff. Tickets were $1 each and all proceeds were donated to the Liberty Commons Resident Council, a fund dedicated to supporting resident programs, activities, and special events that enrich daily life within our community.

Together, these traditions embody what makes Broad Reach so special: kindness, connection, and a shared commitment to lifting each other up. As we reflect on another season of giving, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible staff for their continued compassion and dedication.

October at Broad Reach Healthcare

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 19:49:13 GMT

We had a fantastic October at Broad Reach Healthcare. Check out what our community has been up to!

A SPOOK-tacular Halloween
This Halloween, our Broad Reach team brought the spirit of the season to life with creativity, laughter, and plenty of fun! From clever costumes to festive office decorations, our staff went all out to make the Halloween holiday memorable.

Investing in Safety and Quality Care at Liberty Commons

Our team at Liberty Commons recently participated in hands-on training with our newest piece of equipment, the Molift. This advanced lift system is designed to help caregivers safely and comfortably assist residents during transfers from bed to wheelchair or in other mobility situations. The Molift enhances resident comfort and dignity while also protecting our dedicated staff by reducing physical strain during lifts and transfers.

At Broad Reach Healthcare, we remain committed to continual improvement, staff education, and enhancing quality of life for every resident we serve. The addition of the Molift is another meaningful step in our ongoing investment in both our people and our patients.

Exploring Nature at Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge

Residents from The Victorian Assisted Living recently enjoyed a wonderful outing to the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge. With breathtaking coastal views, gentle sea breezes, and sightings of local wildlife, the day was filled with discovery, laughter, and lasting memories.

At Broad Reach Healthcare, we love creating opportunities for our residents to explore the beauty of Cape Cod together, nurturing connection, joy, and a shared appreciation for the natural world around us.

September Happenings at Broad Reach Healthcare

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:07:20 GMT

A September to remember at Broad Reach Healthcare!

Awards:

Newsweek and Statista have once again unveiled America’s Best Nursing Homes 2026, and Liberty Commons has been ranked #2 in Massachusetts! We’re especially proud to be the only nursing home on Cape Cod included on this year’s list. Rankings were based on four key pillars: performance data, recommendations from medical professionals, accreditations, and resident satisfaction. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated team, residents, and families who make Liberty Commons such a special community.

Celebrations:

National Assisted Living Week 2025: Each September, communities across the country come together to celebrate National Assisted Living Week, a time to honor the meaningful connections, care, and joy shared between residents and staff. This year, our theme was “Ageless Adventure,” encouraging everyone to embrace life’s journeys, big and small.

Our residents fully embraced the spirit of adventure and throughout the week, enjoyed a variety of special outings and delicious dishes from around the world. From exploring new flavors to sharing laughter and stories, it was a week filled with fun, friendship, and celebration of the vibrant lives our residents continue to lead each day.

Environmental Services Week: During Environmental Services Week, Broad Reach proudly recognized and celebrated the incredible members of our Housekeeping and Laundry Team, the behind-the-scenes heroes who help keep our communities running smoothly each and every day.

Their hard work ensures that our facilities remain clean, safe, and welcoming for residents, staff, and visitors alike. From maintaining spotless common areas to providing fresh linens and creating a comfortable environment, their dedication plays a vital role in the health and happiness of everyone we serve. To show our appreciation, we hosted a special luncheon in their honor, a small gesture of thanks for the big impact they make daily. We are so grateful for their commitment, care, and pride in their work!

Staff Spotlight:

For Karen, our Staff Educator, the road to nursing wasn’t a straight line. Along the way, her various experiences built the foundation for her dedication to senior care.

Karen didn’t originally plan on becoming a nurse. She first studied to become a dietitian, then found herself drawn to the world of health education. With a bachelor’s degree in Health Education, Karen discovered that what she loved most was teaching others about health and wellness. That passion eventually led her into nursing school, where she built on her foundation in education and developed the skills to provide direct care.

Growing up in Norton, Massachusetts, Karen spent summers at her family’s cottage in Wellfleet, which gave her an enduring connection to the Cape. Years later, she and her husband decided to make Eastham their permanent home.

Having already spent time at Broad Reach through her consulting role, Karen was impressed with the culture and knew this was where she wanted to be.

Today, she brings her expertise and enthusiasm to training and educating the frontline caregivers of the future. Her thoughtful and compassionate approach inspires staff to grow in their roles, succeed in their work, and, most importantly, discover the rewards of caring for seniors. She is also deeply committed to recruiting and retaining caring individuals who will carry the nursing profession forward at Broad Reach Healthcare.

August Happenings at Broad Reach Healthcare

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 17:35:55 GMT

August at Broad Reach was filled with meaningful moments, from birthdays to barbecues. Check out what our community has been up to!

Pinning Ceremony:
This past month, our Broad Reach Hospice team had the privilege of performing a special pinning ceremony for one of our patients. It was a moving moment of recognition and gratitude for his service to our country. He was also gifted a Reflections booklet, lovingly created by our hospice volunteer, Georgia. The booklet highlighted meaningful places from his life, many of which he joyfully recognized as he looked through the pages. We are truly honored to walk alongside our patients and families in these heartfelt moments.

Birthday Celebration:
In August, we had the joy of celebrating Liberty Commons resident Rita’s 104th birthday! The celebration was made even more special with a visit from her sister, Nikki, who is 101 years old and a proud resident of The Victorian. What a beautiful milestone for both sisters to share together!

SilverStock:
Our annual SilverStock event brought together residents, families, friends, and staff for a wonderful day of music, laughter, and good food. Songs filled the air as everyone enjoyed a delicious BBQ and celebrated!

Congratulations:
This month, we honored several staff members during our Length of Service Ceremony. Please join us in congratulating these dedicated team members for their commitment to care:

Erica Reedy, Speedy Therapist – 3 years

Krystine Celestino, RN – 1 year

Crystal Adams, CNA/Preceptor – 1 year

Odaine Powell, Maintenance – 1 year

Michael Bryan, Dietary – 1 year

We are grateful for their continued dedication to the Broad Reach community!

July News & Events at Broad Reach Healthcare

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:33:54 GMT

July was filled with memorable events, achievements, and celebrations, marking an exciting month for our community. Here’s a look at some highlights.

Chowder Tasting Contest:

Our residents recently put their taste buds to the test in a delicious Chowder Tasting Contest, sampling local favorites from The Squire, Mac’s Seafood, The Red Nun, and The Impudent Oyster. Each chowder brought its own unique flavor, making the competition close, but in the end, The Squire earned the title of Favorite Chowder!

Safety At Broad Reach:

After the tragic fire at a Fall River assisted living residence, we’ve launched a comprehensive review of our existing protocols with our partners at Chatham Fire/Rescue. Together, we’re looking for opportunities to strengthen what we all do

This past month, residents and staff at The Victorian Assisted Living and Liberty Commons Rehab & Skilled Care Center participated in routine shelter in place safety drills alongside the Chatham Fire Department. We’ll continue that work, gathering more detailed feedback with CFD, playing out scenarios that might present at other times of day and in other circumstances, update plans, and put them to the test with a full scale drill this Fall.

We’re grateful to our local fire department for their support and to our residents and staff for taking an active role in ensuring everyone’s safety!

Classic Car Show:

Residents, families, and friends enjoyed a memorable afternoon at the Classic Car Show at Liberty Commons. The event featured a stunning lineup of beautifully maintained vintage and specialty cars that sparked stories, nostalgia, and plenty of admiration. Guests strolled through the display, chatted with car owners, and soaked up the warm sunshine. Laughter, smiles, and shared memories made it a truly special day for all who attended!

Kind Words of Appreciation:

We were deeply moved to receive this heartfelt letter from a longtime hospice volunteer whose parents were a part of our Broad Reach family. Her kind words are a powerful reminder of the lasting impact compassionate care can have.

“I have been a hospice volunteer in Maryland for the past twenty-five plus years and, in this role, I have visited patients in various nursing facilities. Each of these visits has me comparing these facilities with those at Broad Reach Healthcare. Both my parents (John and Mary Belknap) were fortunate enough to have been part of Broad Reach - at Liberty Commons and The Victorian. I saw, firsthand, the level of care and compassion given to residents and family on a regular basis. I only wish my patients experienced the same kind of care that my parents received.

It has been a bit over two years since my parents died, but the memory of the level of care and dignity they were afforded lives on in my heart. It is important to me that you know what a difference you made in their lives and in mine. My sincere thanks to you and your entire stellar staff.”

- Karen

June News from Broad Reach Healthcare

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:33:52 GMT

We are excited to share the latest updates, events, and stories from our Broad Reach Healthcare community this past month.

The Victorian Residents took a Bite Out of Summer with a Jaws Movie Trip:

Residents from The Victorian enjoyed a fun and memorable outing to the Orpheum Theater in Chatham to see Jaws on the big screen, celebrating the film’s 50th anniversary! This iconic summer thriller brought plenty of suspense, laughter, and nostalgia as residents revisited one of the most legendary movies of all time. It was the perfect way to enjoy a classic Cape Cod connection and spend time together outside and about in Chatham.

In Appreciation of Compassionate Care:
Celebrating our CNAs: This month, we showed our appreciation for the compassionate and hardworking CNAs who make such a difference every day. We celebrated our team with a special continental breakfast, a thoughtful appreciation event with gifts, and a fun slider bar lunch, all to say thank you for everything they do!

Physicians: Our hospice and skilled nursing leadership teams honored our incredible physicians who help guide our care with compassion and expertise. Thank you to Dr. Eric Weber, Dr. Mita Gupta, and Dr. Marcial Santos for your unwavering dedication to our patients and residents. Your leadership, clinical excellence, and commitment to whole-person care make all the difference.

Length Of Service:
This month, we proudly recognized team members for their years of compassionate service.

• Sally, RN – Hospice | 3 years

• Michelle, Social Worker – Hospice | 3 years

• Emily, LPN – Liberty Commons | 1 year

• Tammy, Activities – Liberty Commons | 1 year

• Pamella, LPN – Liberty Commons | 1 year

• Kimla, CNA – Liberty Commons | 1 year

• Karen, Volunteer Coordinator – Hospice | 1 year

• Jessica, Activities – Liberty Commons | 1 year

Thank you for the dedication, warmth, and care you bring to our community every day.

Welcome To The Team:

We’re excited to welcome Katharin to the Broad Reach Healthcare team! Katharin recently joined us as our new Infection Preventionist and Staff Educator, bringing with her a wealth of experience, compassion, and drive.

She earned her RN from Cape Cod Community College in 2013 and began her nursing journey in a physician’s office before transitioning to triage and case management roles. In 2019, she embraced a dynamic role in community health and soon discovered her passion for infection prevention and staff education while working at a skilled nursing facility. What began as a per-diem opportunity quickly grew into a full-time calling, driven by her initiative and deep sense of purpose.

Since arriving at Broad Reach, Katharin says she’s been inspired by the strong sense of professionalism, support, and community-focused leadership. Welcome, Katharin!

Broad Reach Healthcare May Happenings

Sat, 31 May 2025 01:03:03 GMT

We are excited to share the latest updates, events, and stories from our Broad Reach Healthcare community this past month.

National Nurses Week

At Broad Reach Healthcare, our nurses are at the heart of everything we do. Their compassion, dedication, and expertise make a difference in the lives of our residents and patients every single day. During National Nurses Week, we took time to recognize and celebrate these incredible individuals with a few thoughtful gestures of appreciation.

We kicked off the week with a relaxing continental breakfast, giving our nurses a chance to start their day with fresh pastries, fruit, and coffee as a small token of thanks. Midweek, we held a special appreciation event where each nurse was individually recognized with a beautiful flower. We wrapped up the week with a fun and delicious baked potato bar, offering a warm meal and a chance to gather and reflect on the vital role nurses play in our Broad Reach community.

To all our nurses: thank you, your hard work, your heart, and your commitment to care do not go unnoticed. We are so grateful for everything you do.

Fall Prevention

At The Victorian Assisted Living our Fall Prevention Program has led to a significant reduction in both initial and repeat falls, helping residents stay safer, stronger, and more confident. Our team uses data-driven strategies to understand and address the many factors that contribute to falls, including health conditions, medication risks, and environmental safety.

We’ve also introduced a new mini gym space where residents are staying active, building strength, and taking important steps toward greater mobility and independence.

Community Support

We were honored to be a Gold Sponsor of the Sharing Kindness Suicide Awareness Walk, hosted by Sharing Kindness Inc. at Veterans Park in Hyannis.

Over 600 participants joined together for a powerful 3-mile walk to honor loved ones, support survivors, and raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental health. At Broad Reach Healthcare, we’re committed to integrating mental health support into every aspect of the care we provide.

Broad Reach Healthcare April News & Events

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:26:24 GMT

We are excited to share the latest updates, events, and stories from our Broad Reach Healthcare community this past month.

Easter Fun:

The Easter Bunny made a special stop at The Victorian this spring, bringing smiles, laughter, and a little extra joy to residents and staff alike. With festive treats, cheerful visits, and plenty of photo-worthy moments, it was a heartwarming celebration!

State Rep Luddy Made a Visit to Broadreach:

We were honored to welcome State Representative Hadley Luddy to Broad Reach Healthcare as part of her outreach across the lower and outer Cape.

Rep. Luddy toured both Liberty Commons and The Victorian, where she met with staff and spent time chatting with our residents. We are grateful for her commitment to supporting the critical issues on Beach Hill that impact senior care and we appreciate the opportunity to share the important work we do here at Broad Reach.

Celebrations:

We recently came together for a heartfelt luncheon to honor our dedicated hospice volunteers, individuals who give their time, compassion, and presence to support patients and families during some of life’s most meaningful moments. Their commitment to bringing comfort, connection, and dignity to those we serve is truly inspiring, and we’re so grateful for the difference they make each and every day.

This month we also celebrated Administrative Professionals Day by treating our amazing team to a well-deserved luncheon. Their hard work, organization, and unwavering support keep Broad Reach Healthcare running smoothly. Whether scheduling appointments, supporting staff, or lending a helping hand wherever needed, their contributions are essential to our mission of care.

To all those who give so generously of themselves, thank you. You make Broad Reach a stronger, more compassionate place.

Training:

At Broad Reach Healthcare, our commitment to care extends beyond physical health, we’re dedicated to supporting the whole person, body and mind.

Just as CPR can save a life in a medical emergency, QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is a vital tool for responding to someone in an emotional crisis. Through a recent QPR Gatekeeper Training, our team gained the skills needed to recognize warning signs of a mental health emergency and take meaningful action that could make all the difference.

Broad Reach Healthcare March Happenings

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 14:57:29 GMT

We are excited to share the latest updates, events, and stories from our Broad Reach Healthcare community this past month.

 St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations:

Our residents had a sham-ROCKIN’ good time celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! From festive green outfits to joyful moments shared with friends, the day was filled with music, laughter, and the Irish spirit!

Women's History Month:

This Women's History Month, we honored the extraordinary women in healthcare who inspire us daily! Two of which are our amazing Unit Managers: Mary (Oyster Pond), Cara (Pleasant Bay), and Saba (Stage Harbor). With an impressive 55 years of combined experience, their leadership and commitment truly shine at Broad Reach. Having an RN lead every unit is rare in our industry and we couldn’t be prouder! We also recognized Sheron, a beloved member of the Liberty Commons team. For the past 17 years, Sheron has brought unmatched dedication, compassion, and heart to her role as a CNA. Her journey began right here at Broad Reach, where she earned her CNA license and discovered her true calling, caring for others with kindness and respect. Whether supporting long-term residents or those with short-term needs, Sheron’s positive energy and commitment shine through in everything she does. Sheron reminds us that great care starts with loving what you do and we are so grateful she’s chosen to do what she loves with us. Thank you, Sheron, for being an inspiration and making a lasting impact at Broad Reach Healthcare!

Hockey Game Fun:

Residents at Broad Reach Healthcare teamed up with students from Cape Cod Tech for an exciting wheelchair hockey match at Liberty Commons! Our residents showed off some impressive skills while the students helped them navigate the game and cheered them on. The bonding and community spirit were truly heartwarming!

National Social Worker Month:

March was also National Social Work Month! Our social workers here at Broad Reach are absolutely wonderful! These compassionate, dedicated professionals play a vital role in supporting our residents and their families every single day. To show our appreciation, the team enjoyed a well-deserved lunch together. We thank them all for everything they do.

Broad Reach Healthcare February Recap

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 14:18:46 GMT

We are excited to share the latest updates, events, and stories from our Broad Reach Healthcare community this past month.

Valentin's Day Celebrations:

Love was in the air at Broad Reach. Residents at The Victorian received the sweetest Valentine’s Day cards made by the local preschoolers at The Rocking Unicorn Nursery School in Chatham! Thank you to these wonderful young artists for spreading love to our residents and brightening their day!

Our residents at Liberty Commons celebrated Valentine’s Day with an ice cream social hosted by Robert Paul Properties. What a SWEET way to celebrate!

Length of Service Congratulations:

We had so much to celebrate at this month's Length Of Service Ceremony! Please join us in congratulating the following team members for their milestone achievements at Broach Reach Healthcare.

- Melanie Stone: 25 years of service as a PTA at Broad Reach outpatient rehab.

- Mary Grover: 10 years of service as Speech Therapist at Liberty Commons.

- Mark Hammett : 3 years as a Physical Therapy Assistant at Liberty Commons.

- Jason Lavallee: 3 years of service as the Administrator at Liberty Commons.

Community Ties: A Creative Connection Through Poetry

At Broad Reach, we cherish the relationships we build with our local community, and a recent collaboration with Monomoy Middle School is a perfect example of that spirit in action! As part of their poetry unit, students from Monomoy Middle School poured their creativity and heartfelt words into beautifully crafted poems. To make their work even more special, they framed their pieces and generously donated them to be displayed in the Liberty Commons lobby. Now, these thoughtful and expressive poems bring joy and inspiration to residents, staff, and visitors alike.

Broad Reach Healthcare January Recap

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 21:58:40 GMT

We are excited to share the latest updates, events, and stories from our Broad Reach Healthcare community this past month.

Staff Appreciation:

Our dedicated activities staff celebrated National Activities Professionals Month with a delightful lunch at the Chatham Filling Station! This event was not only a fun gathering but also an opportunity to recognize their hard work in enhancing residents' lives through engaging programs and events. Thank you to this amazing team for all that you do!

Out In The Community:

Our Victorian residents had a wonderful outing to our local Orpheum Theater in Chatham to watch Mufasa! It was a fun-filled day and a wonderful time was had by all attendees.

Career Spotlight:

At Broad Reach Healthcare, we proudly celebrate Emily’s journey from CNA to Director of Nursing! Emily’s career began in 2001 when she enrolled in our free CNA Program, igniting a passion for caregiving. She went on to earn both her LPN and RN degrees, before stepping into nursing leadership. After serving 2 years in a management role elsewhere, she returned to Broad Reach, where she advanced from Unit Manager to Assistant Director of Nursing, and now serves as our Director of Nursing at Liberty Commons. Emily’s story is a testament to hard work, seizing opportunity, and the incredible impact of compassionate care and leadership. We are honored to have her on our team!

Birthday Celebrations:

Our resident, Dina, celebrated her 106th Birthday, enjoying a beautiful celebration filled with cake, balloons, cards, family and friends!

Broad Reach Healthcare December Recap

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 17:16:03 GMT

We are excited to share the latest updates, events, and stories from our Broad Reach Healthcare community this past month.

Awards:

Newsweek- Newsweek has unveiled its annual ranking of America's Best Nursing Homes 2025, recognizing the top 1,050 nursing homes in the USA. We’re the only ones in Massachusetts to make the list for “Best in the USA: 100-149 beds.

US News and World Report- We are proud to announce that Liberty Commons has ranked among the Best Nursing Homes for short-term rehabilitation for 2025.

Blood Pressure Clinic:

Upper Cape Tech students recently visited The Victorian Assisted Living to participate in a blood pressure clinic. This clinic benefited our residents as well as helping the students gain valuable, hands-on experience as they prepare for careers in healthcare. We are so proud to be part of such an amazing community here on the cape and enjoy collaborating with local schools and future healthcare workers.

Holiday Festivities:

All of our halls were all decked and our "Resident Judges" voted. Oyster Pond was the winner of our Liberty Commons Christmas Decorating Contest! Every floor looked amazing and we enjoyed the festive spirit in our building!

November News and Events at Broad Reach Healthcare

james@juuced.com (James Nunn) — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 15:32:55 GMT

November was filled with festive celebrations, achievements, and gratitude! Here is a look at some highlights.

Thanksgiving Celebrations:

Our residents and their families came together for a joyous Thanksgiving celebration. The atmosphere was filled with laughter, gratitude, and the shared spirit of the holiday. Everyone enjoyed a delicious feast, complete with all of the traditional favorites!

Turkey Donations:

Each year, Broad Reach expresses our gratitude by gifting turkeys to our employees for Thanksgiving. Employees have the option to keep or donate their turkey. This year, many chose to share their blessings by donating their turkey to the Chatham Food Pantry. We proudly contributed 8 turkeys to support local families in need!

Free Gas Event:

To show our gratitude and to celebrate achieving a “World’s Best Culture Certification” from the Barrett Values Center survey, our Broad Reach Managers treated over 200 employees to a complimentary full tank of gas. Smiles filled the station as tanks were filled and windshields were washed!

Veteran’s Day:

Liberty Commons and the Victorian enjoyed visits from the 102 Intelligence Wing from Otis AFB to celebrate Veteran’s Day. Thank you to all veterans for your service to our country.

Fall Prevention Winner:

We are so proud of our Pleasant Bay Wing for being named the winners of this year’s in-house Falls Prevention & Education Competition. This competition between each of our Liberty Common wings is focused on fall prevention education and collaborative strategies that will decrease our residents’ fall risk and increase their safety. We recently celebrated Pleasant Bay's success with an ice cream social. Congratulations to everyone for working together to improve resident safety, increase fall prevention education and reduce falls!

October Events at Broad Reach Healthcare

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 19:55:31 GMT

October was filled with memorable events, achievements, and celebrations, marking an exciting month for our community. Here’s a look at some highlights.

Hospice 20th Anniversary Reception

We kicked off the month by celebrating two decades of compassionate care at Broad Reach Hospice. The 20th-anniversary reception was a wonderful event, bringing together our valued community partners, as well as former and current staff members all united in honoring the impactful journey we've share over the years. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this milestone!

Alzheimer’s Walk in Provincetown

Broad Reach Healthcare joined the Alzheimer’s Walk in Provincetown, standing alongside others in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. This meaningful event was an opportunity to raise awareness and show our support for those affected by Alzheimer’s and their loved ones. We’re proud of everyone who participated and contributed to this important cause.

Art Show at the Victorian

Residents, staff and families were invited to enjoy an inspiring display at the Art Show held at The Victorian. This event showcased the incredible talent and creativity of both our residents and staff with works of art that sparked conversation and appreciation from all who attended. Art is a wonderful form of expression, and we are delighted to provide a space for the artists within the Broad Reach community to shine.

Spooktacular Halloween Festivities

Halloween brought festive fun to Broad Reach as residents and staff donned creative costumes and enjoyed spooky decorations, treats, and themed activities. The smiles, laughter, and spirit of the day were a testament to our community’s wonderful camaraderie.

Resident Council Bake Sale

Our Resident Council hosted a bake sale that was a resounding success filled with delicious staff-made treats. All the funds raised went toward the Resident Council at Liberty Commons. Thank you to our bakers and supporters for making this event so sweet!

Life Safety Survey – Successfully Completed!

In line with our commitment to safety and excellence, we successfully completed our Life Safety Survey this month. This survey underscores our dedication to maintaining our building and grounds, creating a safe environment for all residents and staff. Kudos to our team for their hard work and commitment!

As we reflect on these accomplishments and celebrations, we’re reminded of the strength and spirit of our BroadReach family. We look forward to more opportunities to come together, support each other, and make lasting memories in the months ahead.

September Happenings at Broad Reach Healthcare

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 19:17:23 GMT

Sharing some amazing news and updates from this September at Broad Reach Healthcare!

#1 Nursing Home in MA

We are proud to announce that Liberty Commons is ranked #1 in Massachusetts in the recent Best Nursing Homes list in Newsweek.

We invite you to view the rankings here.

Welcome Our New Volunteer Coordinator

We are excited to announce our new Volunteer Coordinator, Karen Spangler.

Karen brings a wealth of experience to Broad Reach Hospice, having served as a Volunteer Coordinator at another hospice care provider from 2005 to 2016. Karen is passionate about volunteer management in end-of-life care, recognizing the critical role volunteers play. While many of her volunteers tend to be older, one of her goals in her role here is to bring new energy into the program by partnering with Cape Cod Regional Technical High School’s Health Sciences and CNA student.

Karen’s guiding mantra is simple: "It’s all about the volunteer’s need to engage in a rewarding experience, not about the organization’s need for volunteer help." She firmly believes that when volunteers are fulfilled, they bring their best selves to the patients they serve, creating a meaningful experience for everyone involved.

We are thrilled to have Karen on board and look forward to seeing her passion benefit Broad Reach Hospice!

Retirement Congratulations

Please join us in congratulating Robbie on his retirement!

Robbie has been an invaluable member of the Broad Reach family, as a nurse, for 6 fantastic years. He has an astonishing record of never calling out or missing a shift, not only during his 6 years with us, but throughout his entire 30 year career! His unwavering commitment and dedication will be greatly missed by both colleagues and patients alike.

We wish him all the best in this exciting new chapter ahead!

August Events at Broad Reach Healthcare

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 19:50:04 GMT

A month of reconnecting and fun! Read about our August Events at Broad Reach Healthcare!

A Heartwarming Reunion for Long-Time Chatham Resident Nancy Bak

We organized a surprise gathering for Nancy Bak, a long-time resident of Chatham. Some community members noticed her absence from the porch of her Chatham home and reached out via Facebook to find out where she was. Once they learned she was here with us at Broad Reach, there was an overwhelming show of support. We invited her many friends and neighbors to visit and over 30 people came to reconnect with her!

A Special Wine Tasting Event with Owner Joseph Carr of Josh Wines

We also welcomed Joseph Carr, the owner of Josh Wines, for a special wine-tasting event at The Victorian. He hosted an evening of wine tastings and demonstrations for our residents and their families, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

A Chatham Rotary Club Dinner on the New Cottage Patio

The Victorian Assisted Living recently had the pleasure of hosting the Chatham Rotary Club for a dinner on our new patio at the cottage. It was a wonderful event and everyone had a fantastic time.

Thank you for being a part of our community. Stay tuned for more updates and events in the coming months!

July Happenings: Broad Reach Healthcare

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 13:59:24 GMT

A month of celebrating and fun, even hosting our very own Olympic Games! Read about all of the July Happenings at Broad Reach Healthcare!

Congratulations

This month, we had a wonderful Length of Service ceremony where we gifted pins to our staff members who have been with Broad Reach Healthcare for 1,3, and 5 years! Please join us in congratulating:

Colleen O'Malley- Dining SVC Manager, 1 year

Celesia Aldrick - LPN, 1 year

Marissa Sevigne- LPN, 1 year

Jolian Mowatt- LPN, 3 years

Sarah Bussiere- OT, 3 years

Lindsay Muto- PTA, 5 years

Stacy Fluet- Administrative Assistant, 5 years

Shernett Williams- HHA, 5 years

We also celebrated our recent CNA/LPN graduates:

Congratulations to Siham Mohamed, Robert Burrill, Latoya Whyte, Nicole Wright, Nicole Lamont, Jomaira Cabrera, Abigail McIlvin, Nilda Corres, Aytaj Samadli, Sheila Leeds, Genevieve Farr.

4th of July BBQ

We had a blast celebrating Independence Day with our residents at our 4th of July BBQ! Our community gathered together for a day filled with delicious burgers, live music from a local band, and great company. It was fun to see everyone coming together in their red, white and blue to celebrate this special holiday. The BBQ was a huge success, and we can't wait for our next community event.

The Olympic Spirit

Residents have all been coming together to watch the Olympic games each day! But even better, they came together to participate in our very own Broad Reach Olympics! The sense of community was palpable as neighbors cheered each other on and showcased their skills in fun events such as cornhole, targetball, horseshoes and balloon volleyball. We even had our own medal winners!

Celebrating Mary

We had a lovely party celebrating Mary on her retirement after almost 7 years as the Volunteer Coordinator in Hospice. Thank you Mary for your service and friendship, we wish you all the best in this next chapter!

Thank you for being a part of our community. Stay tuned for more updates and events in the coming months!

Broad Reach Healthcare June Recap

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 18:00:17 GMT

We are excited to share the latest updates, events, and stories from our Broad Reach Healthcare community this past month.

The Victorian Mini Golf

This June, we hosted a mobile mini golf event for our Victorian Residents! There were several holes-in-one and fun had all around!

Mass Hire’s 2024 Outstanding Business Partner

We are proud to announce that Broad Reach Healthcare was presented with the 2024 Outstanding Business Partner Award at the June annual meeting. Jason was also inducted into the Mass Hire Board that same evening. MassHire creates and sustains powerful connections between businesses and jobseekers through a statewide network of employment professionals.

Celebrating CNA Week

In June we celebrated CNA Week! During the month, we some of our residents at The Victorian chose to share their experiences with our wonderful CNAs. Below are some quotes they shared. We invite you to read even more on our social media !

“I’VE GOT YOUR BACK: These four words were spoken to me by my beloved CNA, Bernie. They were not said while doing her regularly assigned help in my room. They were said as she was helping in the dining room when she had other work to do. Only four words, but they said so much to me, they said she cared about me, not because she has to, but because she really does.”

“Shanette watches over me and encourages me. Helps me in every way!”

“Elaine, her kindness shines. She visited me when I was in the hospital.”

“Mary always brings my meals with a smile.”

“Chie took care of my kitty when I was in the hospital. She came to pet her so she wasn’t lonely.”

Congratulations To Our LPN Graduates

Please join us in congratulating our three June LPN graduates, Ainohoa Lorenzo Casado, Marissa Sevigne, and Shanice Walker! We are proud of all three of you!

Juneteenth Celebration

Our residents and staff enjoyed a lovely Juneteenth celebration!

Thank you for being a part of our community. Stay tuned for more updates and events in the coming months!

Broad Reach Healthcare May Happenings

Fri, 31 May 2024 19:35:00 GMT

We are excited to share the latest updates, events, and stories from our Broad Reach Healthcare community this past month.

Celebrating Nurses Appreciation Week

This month, we had the pleasure of honoring our incredible nursing staff during Nurses Appreciation Week. Their dedication and hard work are the heart of our healthcare community, and we are immensely grateful for their unwavering commitment to patient care.

Welcome Our New Specialists

We are excited to announce the addition of two certified therapists to our team! We now have a certified pelvic floor therapist and an in-patient lymphedema certified therapist. Their expertise will greatly enhance the quality of care we provide.

Starbucks Coffee & Lounge Returns

Great news for coffee lovers! Starbucks coffee and lounge area are back in our lobby. It's the perfect spot to relax and enjoy your favorite beverage.

New Patio Ribbon Cutting at The Victorian

We had the grand opening of the new patio at The Victorian. We are thrilled to have this beautiful outdoor space designed for relaxation and socialization. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was a delightful event, enjoyed by our residents!

Thank you for being a part of our community. Stay tuned for more updates and events in the coming months!

Liberty Commons Celebrates Red Sox Opening Day!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:25:40 GMT

A Culture of Care: Celebrating Our Journey to Becoming One of New England's Best Workplaces

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:37:32 GMT

By Bill Bogdanovich

Hello everyone,

I am thankful to be reaching out to tell you that Broad Reach has earned a distinguished recognition for our workplace culture. This is, obviously, wonderful news and something I’m excited to be now talking about with other healthcare professionals around New England and the country. But first and foremost, I want to first offer a word of gratitude for how everyone here has made this possible.

About a year ago, we partnered with Drive – Outcomes Through Culture an expert organization that would enable us to assess our culture here at Broad Reach. Over the last 15+ years, we’ve repeatedly placed in the Top-100 of The Boston Globe ’s Top Places to Work. But, this 2023 assessment offered us a significant opportunity to know more - how you view our collective culture as well as to understand what is meaningful to you personally . Our mission has always been to foster an atmosphere of inclusivity and respect, but knowing both where we stand and where we need to be in the future would enable us to take that up a notch and do it even better!

By now, you’ve probably heard that we scored highly on the culture assessment. Of the 250 healthcare organizations Culture Outcomes surveyed, the average score is 50. Ours was 89, which is the second-highest score ever recorded out of thousands of other organizations. Additionally, we were rated as having a “Healthy Functioning” culture without any limiting values on our overall team.

I was in shocked disbelief when I first heard the news — that feedback had to be too positive to be real. But the more we talked to Culture Outcomes and spoke with you all individually, the clearer it became that our score is indicative of our organizational culture. It speaks to the manner in which we all contributes to making Broad Reach a great place to work and an even better place for post-acute and community-based healthcare.

In Chris’s focus group meeting, you said time and again that you’re proud to tell other people where you work and that it’s a place where you can feel fulfilled in your work. Even more so, you say that you love interacting with your patients, residents, and co-workers. All of this speaks to a belief I’ve held for a long time: how we feel about our work affects not only our services but also our workplace. Simply put, the less miserable we are, the more time we have to spend with our patients and residents. And that’s a major shift in the way most healthcare organizations usually operate.

Sadly, over the last 40 years, providing healthcare services has transformed from a patient-based to a task-based model. Employee titles became synonymous with function: “feeding assistants” addressed patients’ eating, “cart nurses” administer pills, and so on. There are many aspects of Broad Reach of which I am proud, but maybe the most important is that despite all those tasks we have to complete, we always try to get past that, not leaving our work or patients into a pile of tasks—ever.

I know that some of you have had this experience in other facilities. It’s the definition of treating people as a “means to an end,” and it robs us of the reason we got into these professions in the first place: to help. When patients and their families come to us, they’re looking for a community. They’re looking for healthcare providers who care about them as people as well as their quality of life. Ours is not a place where we prescribe orders and hope they don’t get screwed up when somebody else carries them out. Despite all that’s changed, our work to still make genuinely connections makes all the difference.

Together, it is every one that creates an environment where people want to come to work—they want to connect with patients, families, and each other, and they want to lead with compassion and care. Ultimately, that’s what drives our mission. And it is why this culture recognition is so much greater than any one of us could individually achieve.

However, our job is not finished: an 89 is a great score, but we now also know where focusing even more can make the most difference. On the “Desired Cultural Values” portion of the survey, achieving more accountability and an increase in open communication rose to the top. The focus group work helped identify what that could look like. And we are ready to turn that vision into our reality.

Our culture is strong because everyone here is willing to show up day after day and contribute to making Broad Reach a place where everyone wants to work. And I cannot thank you enough for that.

In gratitude,

Bill Bogdanovich

Drive’s World's Best Culture Certification spans across all industries. It is supported by Barrett's 25-year database and four million culture assessments, which include companies such as Mastercard, CocaCola, Prudential, Wegmans, PWC and Volvo. Drive is its leading user in aging services.

“World’s Best Culture” Achievement

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 16:12:58 GMT

Broad Reach awarded Drive’s World's Best Culture Certification

This achievement reflects the dedication of our entire staff to lead with empathy and respect when treating patients and engaging with our fellow co-workers. Furthermore, this honor reflects the commitment of the Broad Reach leadership team to cultivate a workplace culture that supports and values our employees as the key engine for our success.

To receive this commendation, Broad Reach needed to meet key benchmarks on the globally acclaimed Barrett Values Centre's Culture Values Assessment. Inspired by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, this efficacy of this assessment has been tested across two decades of real-world experience. Over time, it has proven to be an insightful map for understanding the values and motivations of employees and stakeholders. Which is why the leadership at Broad Reach viewed this assessment as a critical opportunity to better understand our organizational culture.

By participating in this assessment, Broad Reach was not only recognized with the World's Best Culture Certification, but our team also made history. Of the thousands of organizations Drive has surveyed, Broad Reach has the second highest score on record. Our team also scored nearly 40 points higher than the average healthcare organization, which demonstrates just how passionate we are about working from a place of compassion and care. Each of us got into healthcare to help our patients, and that is exactly what our culture score reflects.

This assessment also allows us to understand both the present-day values of our team and where our organizational values need to be moving forward. In this way, Drive's World's Best Culture Certification is more than just a recognition of the Broad Reach culture: it provides actionable steps we can take to keep improving. Our leadership team is committed to working to enhance our workplace culture and refine our practices to ensure we consistently live up to this standard of excellence.

Ultimately, organizational culture is only as good as the people who contribute to it. Not only is our workplace positive and engaging, but our staff enjoys coming into work—they are proud to tell their friends and family that they work here. This culture assessment demonstrates that our staff feels empowered, valued and motivated to deliver the highest possible quality of care to our patients. This is how we have built a community where everyone—from our patients, to the staff, to the leadership team—feels respected and heard. It is just one reason why Broad Reach has a record-setting culture.

Drive’s World's Best Culture Certification spans across all industries. It is supported by Barrett's 25-year database and four million culture assessments, which include companies such as Mastercard, CocaCola, Prudential, Wegmans, PWC and Volvo. Drive is its leading user in aging services.

Broad Reach Celebrates International Women's Day

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 15:08:34 GMT

New Paragraph

In March, International Women's Day reminds us to reflect on the achievements of women. In healthcare, we are fortunate to have always been strengthened by the selfless contributions women have made. In long-term care, that's no more evident than in the work of our Directors of Nursing. Looking back over our 35+ year history, the particular accomplishments of Ann Lavallee and Marcia Matsik stand out,

Ann was Liberty Commons' first Director of Nursing back in 1986, serving the organization in various other roles including the opening of The Victorian Assisted Living Residence through her retirement in 2009. Though she's now passed, Ann's presence is still felt there every day!

Marcia followed Ann and was Liberty Commons' longest-serving Director of Nursing. She joined us in 1989, stepping into the DON's role in 1997. Now a "retired" DON, she continues that tradition of caring service, leading up the Wellness Nurse Program at The Victorian.

We salute them both and share some classic pictures of these fine women!

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day at Liberty Commons

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 13:18:39 GMT

Residents, friends, and families celebrate St. Patrick's Day at Liberty Commons with some green beverages :).

Liberty Commons Welcomes Dr. Mita Gupta!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 14:10:11 GMT

We are excited to announce that Mita Gupta, M.D. has joined Liberty Commons, serving its patients and residents as their attending physician during both rehab and long-term care stays, in addition to serving the organization as an Associate Medical Director. Dr. Gupta's thriving outpatient practice at Cape Cod Healthcare's Fontaine Medical Center also means that when her patients are cared for at Liberty Commons, they will be able to maintain a continuity of primary care physician.

Dr. Gupta is a graduate of Dartmouth College and New York Medical College, and is Board Certified in internal medicine. She has been practicing on Cape Cod since 2006, and lives on the Lower Cape with her husband and children.

Welcome Mita!

Broad Reach Receives State Grant to Help Recruit Healthcare Staff

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 13:49:17 GMT

State grant will aid in recruiting and training healthcare staff

by Alan Pollock

NORTH CHATHAM – On Cape Cod and elsewhere, there’s an almost insatiable need for certified nursing aides and other entry-level skilled healthcare workers. There are also plenty of people who are unemployed or working low-wage jobs, in need of career advancement. A state grant program, unveiled at Liberty Commons nursing home last Friday, aims to help solve both problems.

“There’s no question that this funding will most certainly help address the demand for healthcare workers in our setting,” said Jason Lavallee of Broad Reach Healthcare, which owns Liberty Commons. The only skilled nursing facility in the state selected for the grant, Broad Reach used the program to support its certification and mentorship programs for certified nurse aides and its program to help train CNAs as licensed practical nurses. The program allowed the company to train and certify 10 new staffers.

“That’s 10 more CNAs that we might not have without this program,” Lavallee said. “The population we serve needs our help, and it’s only achieved through hard work, consistent training, and working together to create great outcomes,” he said.

The program at Broad Reach was funded by a $1.9 million state grant to the Cape and Islands Workforce Investment Board, which will provide training and placement services for 106 new health care workers at Broad Reach as well as Duffy Health Center, Gosnold, Inc., and Relief Home Health Services. Statewide, the grant program is providing $16.3 million from the Workforce Competitive Trust Fund, creating more than 1,800 jobs, state Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Lauren Jones said.

“This is so impactful, and I know it’s going to be leading to many more opportunities, especially for people that may not be in this industry today; they’re unemployed or underemployed,” she said. “This is an opportunity to provide a pathway to a meaningful career” as CNAs, LPNs, medical assistants, technologists, addiction recovery and behavioral health coaches and other in-demand jobs, Jones said.

Kara O’Donnell-Galvin of the Cape and Islands Workforce Board said her group also funds English language training for participants who need it and stipends for students taking part in the training.

“We know how expensive it is to work and live on Cape Cod, and these essential funds will assist those in training with needs such as transportation and childcare,” she said. Broad Reach’s Sheron Cope, a CNA for the past 16 years, helped mentor new trainees under the program. “In my time as a CNA, I have helped train and share my experience with many students in providing proper care to our residents,” she said at the news conference.

Some of the training happens through Upper Cape Regional Technical School in Bourne. Mary Burke, the school’s director of adult and continuing education, thanked state labor officials for supporting workers who need advancement, along with “employers in the region who are desperate for health care workers.” Health care workers are in high demand “and we are trying to help fill those gaps, but education and training is expensive, particularly for people who live in this area who are struggling to be able to afford to remain in the region,” Burke said.

For Broad Reach, intensive mentoring and training is key to their staffing plan, more so than it might be for other businesses, Lavallee said. “In most settings, maybe you’re lucky to train with someone for one or two days, maybe even a week, and then you’re sort of on your own,” he said. “But in order for us to recruit and train staff, we need to think outside of the box and do something different, which is why we wanted to put together this preceptor program,” he said. Pairing candidates with mentors provides them with consistent support and training, creating an environment “where you’d love to come to work and you’d love to come every single day. That program has done all of those things,” Lavallee said.

Some of the new CNAs at Broad Reach were already living on Cape Cod, sometimes working two or three other jobs, he noted. The lack of available housing also continues to be a major limiting factor for recruitment. Broad Reach owns several houses and apartment buildings, which eases the problem.

“We wouldn’t have 30 employees without those housing opportunities,” Lavallee said. “Housing is not easy on Cape Cod, but if we can make it a little bit easier for some folks, then we want to do that.”

Scan to see article in the Cape Cod Chronicle:

Broad Reach Celebrates Black History Month

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 20:48:12 GMT

Kaoian was among the first winners during Black History Month raffles at Liberty Commons. Trivia competitions are heating up, too!

World's Best Culture 2023!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 18:54:49 GMT

Broad Reach Health Care was recognized as one of the top 3 organizations with the highest culture scores and employee engagement. Thank you to the staff for everything you do every day!

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Welcome to the Victorian!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:56:23 GMT

Staff and residents at the Victorian Assisted Living Facility had some fun in the snow and

Liberty Commons Celebrates National Activities Professionals Week

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 13:09:07 GMT

Liberty Commons’ extraordinary recreation department celebrated National Activites Professionals Week with pizza and some stories before a group photo!

Length of Service Pin Ceremony

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:06:40 GMT

We begin the new year celebrating a dozen staff members with a combined 50+ years of service.

A few pics from the pin ceremony include Jean, an RN Case Manager in our hospice program, Mary, Assistant Food & Beverage Director at Liberty Commons, Donnique, A Liberty Commons CNA, and Donna, our CFO!

Our bonus Smooth Sailor raffle winner was Joe Jones, a Liberty Commons CNA who makes overnights smooth!

World's Best Culture Video Shoot

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 13:04:35 GMT

Our COO, Chris Jones, talks with frontline staff across the organization about impressions on our “World's Best Culture” designation earned after an all-staff survey from https://valuescentre.squarespace.com/.../why-culture-matters . It’s guiding our priorities going into the new year.

First Night at Liberty Commons!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 13:43:49 GMT

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse….except the residents at Liberty Commons ringing in the New Year with family and friends!

From all of us at Broad Reach, wishing you a happy and healthy 2024!

Christmas Happenings at Liberty Commons

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 13:00:59 GMT

It was a day filled with joy and happiness as Santa and his helper made the rounds!

Everyday Feels Like a Holiday at Broad Reach!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 18:53:42 GMT

It's a wrap on our Ugly Sweater Party at Broad Reach, and what a blast it was! Decked out in their jolliest knits, our team truly outdid themselves, bringing festive flair and laughter to our halls. A huge shoutout to Steve Franco for orchestrating this merry gathering – you're the secret Santa of spirit, Steve!

As we spread cheer and celebrate, let's not forget the gift that keeps on giving – our generous employee referral bonuses! Spread the word and invite your friends to join the Broad Reach family. It's the season for giving, and we’re excited to give back to those who help our community grow.

Looking for a place where joy and job satisfaction go hand-in-hand? Check out our career opportunities and unwrap your new career this holiday season:

Broad Reach Career Opportunities

https://www.broadreachhealth.org/career-opportunities

Join us, where every day feels like a holiday, and every team member is valued. #broadreachcareer #uglysweaterparty #thankssteve #referralbonus #healthcareheroes

Carolers Abound at Liberty Commons!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:59:36 GMT

The Pilgrim Congregational Church Carolers, Nauset Bell Choir, Monomoy Middle School Chorus, and The NoteAbles brightened the holiday spirit at Liberty Commons.

The Broad Reach Family had a Blast at the Annual Holiday Party!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 20:06:50 GMT

Take a look below at some of the pics from the party on 12/1 at Ocean Edge.

Dickens' Village at The Victorian Assisted Living

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:56:18 GMT

Take a look at the Dickens' Village set up and on loan from Dean Lester

This annual display certainly helps to kick off the holiday season and set the tone for festivities and celebrations to begin! Thank you Dean :)

Broad Reach Maintenance Dept in the Spotlight!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 14:54:16 GMT

Broad Reach Health and the Otis Air Force Base 102nd Battalion Honors Our Veterans

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 13:59:56 GMT

Broad Reach staff and soldiers from Otis AFB 102nd battalion express their gratitude and pay tribute to residents who have served in the military. Their commitment and sacrifices endured to defend our freedoms are what make our country what it is today. Thank you!

Broad Reach Celebrates Halloween 2023

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 13:43:35 GMT

We had one of the best ever Halloween costume turnouts yet this year. Staff and residents alike participated and enjoyed the festivities! :)

Broad Reach Celebrates Length of Service for October 2023

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 13:40:03 GMT

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Broad Reach Celebrates International Housekeeping and Enviro Services Month

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 11:57:43 GMT

Thank you for all you do!

Broad Reach celebrated International Housekeeping and Enviro Services Month, recognizing their extraordinary presence in the lives of our residents…so much more happens while they’re together than cleaning the room! Walter Rehak and Pat Healy, principals at Performance Health Services, came to Chatham to join the salute to this great team. Walter and Bill also traded logo-wear if you look closely!

The Victorian Assisted Living Facility Welcomes Kayla Bettencourt as new Executive Director!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:55:03 GMT

The Victorian Assisted Living Facility staff, residents, and their families welcomed Kayla Bettencourt as the new Executive Director and bid adieu to Stefanie Murray who will be moving her office to Liberty Commons as Broad Reach Healthcare's Marketing and Outreach Coordinator.

Length of Service Ceremony for August 2023

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:31:21 GMT

Recognizing Staff for Being Valued Members of the Broad Reach Family

Jason Lavallee, administrator at Liberty Commons and Jamie Nunes, administrator at Broad Reach Hospice present staff members with length of service pins and flowers for 15 years of dedication. Thank you for making us who we are!

The Victorian Celebrates Dining Service Members

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 13:06:51 GMT

The Victorian Recognizes Chris Rigby and Patric Wood For Their Dedication and Exemplary Service!

Today, The Victorian Assisted Living welcomed Colleen O’Malley as our new Food and Beverage Director ��‍��✨ In addition, long-time stalwarts Chris Rigby and Patric Wood were recognized for their extended commitment in covering all aspects of dining services operations during a lengthy interim period, each being presented with custom chef knives, with thanks for keeping us so “cutting edge”. ��‍��‍��
Bill Bogdanovich, CNHA, CAS, CALA, FACHC Stefanie Murray, CDP
#thankyo #dreamteam #broadreachhealthcare #capecod

Linda Aprea from Broad Reach Hospice sings the pre-game National Anthem at Chatham A's Game!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 16:23:19 GMT

Linda Aprea, the Clinical Services Director at Broad Reach Hospice knocks it out of the park singing the pre-game National Anthem on July 13, 2023.

Nice job Linda! :)

Amazing Turnout of Newly Hired Employees for Our July Orientation!!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 13:31:22 GMT

Check Out the New Members of the Broad Reach Team!

We are delighted to welcome 21 new employees to the Broad Reach family �� here’s a snapshot from our Orientation welcome session ��✨Many are joining our paid CNA apprenticeship course, get in touch to find out more and join us❣️ #capecod #joinus #hiring #nursingjobs #cnajobs

Flag Raising Ceremony at Broad Reach Hospice

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:54:47 GMT

Broad Reach Staff Celebrates Pride Month

On June 26, 2023, Broad Reach Staff members were present to inaugurate a newly installed flagpole in front of the Broad Reach Hospice Office at 1455 Main Street (Rte. 28) in Chatham. The U.S. and Pride flags were raised in celebration of Pride month.

Broad Reach Healthcare Celebrates Juneteenth

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:59:10 GMT

Broad Reach Healthcare Celebrates Juneteenth with The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman

If you’re not familiar with Amanda Gorman, she is the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate. Now 25 years-old, she read this poem in when she was only 22, at the inauguration of the president.

But its words are shared now as something which hopefully transcends politics, uniquely capturing a sense of what Juneteenth asks us to consider. All staff are asked to read the poem—at just over 700 words, it takes only a few minutes.

All are further invited to share the one line in the poem that is most impactful to them, and/or anything from their histories regarding the impact of slavery and the subsequent emancipation. These responses will be compiled and shared back (anonymously) with everyone in July.

You may reply simply by writing on the reverse side of this slip and turning your slip into one of the collection boxes at the LC and VIC entrances, time clocks or in the BRH office. Alternatively, submit electronically by scanning the QR code.

All staff submitting will receive continuing education credit AND will be entered into a raffle to be drawn at July’s Smooth Sailor / Length of Service reception.

Broad Reach Rehab @ Liberty Commons Celebrates Pride Month

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 17:51:10 GMT

��️‍��We fly our pride flag year-round here at Broad Reach Healthcare, but June is a special month to celebrate our company culture of full inclusion. Through education, compassion and storytelling we strive everyday to transform injustice and to celebrate the contributions of all to our vibrant community ��☀️#pridemonth #pride #equality #inclusion #joinus

Promotion Announced! New Director of Nursing at Liberty Commons!!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:24:38 GMT

There are many of us that have been part of this organization for several years and even decades. Some of us started out working in the kitchen and worked our way up to becoming a nurse or we started our career in the CNA course and slowly navigated our way to a nurse management position.

Journeys like this exhibit the dedication and culture of our organization. People continue to step up to the plate in many different ways and our organization provides opportunities for all to advance in their career if they want to put in the effort.

One individual had a similar path in which she started off in our CNA course and was one of our first sponsorships for the LPN program. Some of you may know her as Emily Haynes! After many years of hard work, and a brief absence from LC serving as Mayflower Place’s DON, she made her way back to LC in the Assistant Director of Nursing role.

Nurse management positions are not an easy job. They require the necessary attention to detail and advance clinical and people skills.

When looking at who would best be LC’s next Director of Nursing I quickly turned to Emily, someone who has been part of our organization for many years and has stepped up to the plate time and time again. The day-to-day operational responsibilities of the nursing department are the ultimate sacrifice and responsibility. We are confident that with Emily’s passion and expertise she will excel in her new role.

Please congratulate Emily Haynes on stepping into the role of Director of Nursing!!

2023 Cookouts to Begin in May!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 19 May 2023 19:14:07 GMT

Cookout Dates for 2023

You’re invited to join us at 11:45a.m. on the following dates for lunchtime cookouts with entertainment. “Dress Casual”. Entertainment TBA. Seating will be available outdoors and indoors for visitors. Please call the activities department @ 508-945-4611, ext 245 for reservations.

May 26 ^th Memorial Day Weekend

June 16 ^th

June 30 ^th

July 21 ^st

August 4 ^th

August 18th

September 1 ^st Silver Stock

Working Hard to Help Accomodate Workers

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 15:23:41 GMT

As the Housing Crunch Intensifies, More Businesses Accommodating Workers

Business has been good at Pate's Restaurant. But with success has come the need to address a growing problem on the Cape, namely how to house employees where affordable workforce housing is scarce.

The cost of housing on Cape Cod skyrocketed during the pandemic, putting additional strain on a region where year-round and seasonal housing was already hard to come by. That's posed particular problems for seasonal workers on J1 and H2B visas, which many restaurants and businesses depend on to help carry them through the busy summer season.

Recognizing the problem, Pate's purchased property itself to house seasonal employees from both Pate's and the Chatham Cut. "We have multiple restaurants in Chatham and we have another one on the drawing board, so you've got to be able to house people," said Jim Peterson, a partner in both restaurants. "If you can't, [doing business] just isn't realistic."

Pate's bought the former Master Mariner Motel on Route 28 for $850,000 in early 2022, freeing up 15 rooms that Peterson said together provide housing for 30 workers.

"It's a fact of life," he said of the purchase. "It's the cost of doing business is what it really amounts to."

Pate's is just one business that has resorted to digging into their own pockets in an effort to help house staff. The Chatham Squire similarly purchased the former Ridgewood Motel in Orleans last year, according to the restaurant's manager, Shannon Neal. More recently, the restaurant purchased land at 75 Depot Road which it had previously been renting to house staff. The properties are used to help house both year-round and seasonal employees, Neal said.

The need to get more creative on housing has grown in recent years, Neal said, noting that staffing has "dwindled" in the face of the housing crisis. "It's hard to get staff that can afford to live here," she said.

In Orleans, Brian Junkins, who owns Friends' Marketplace, has also purchased property near the market that he plans to convert into four condo units. He discussed the realities facing local businesses relative to housing during a discussion hosted by the Orleans Citizens Forum last month.

"I've had many people show up at the store with a backpack," he said. "They'd be just off the bus from New York and they'd need a place to stay. We've been able to work that out over the years, but we know that's our job now, to try and do a better job of securing housing."

Pate's and the Chatham Cut together employ between 30 and 40 workers during the summer. Some live locally, while the Mariner provides rooms for those employees that need it. Other rooms are used to accommodate employees from other businesses, Peterson said. Those businesses pay Pate's for the room[s] up front, and the cost of rent is then deducted from employees' paychecks, he said.

But while some businesses are doing their part to make a dent in the region's housing shortage, business owners say a long-term solution to the problem remains out of sight. Peterson said Pate's will continue to rent its rooms to help other businesses as it's able. But with the unforgiving nature of the current market, the restaurant may need to eventually use those rooms for its own staff.

"I got another call today from someone looking for three rooms," he said last week. "We just don't have them. We try to help out where we can, but we have to protect our own flank at the same time."

Broad Reach Healthcare has been buying property for employee housing since 2018. The North Chatham-based company bought a six-bedroom residence in Brewster in 2018, followed shortly after by the Captain Haskell Rose building on Main Street in Chatham. Broad Reach CEO Bill Bogdanovich said the company has since purchased another property for housing in Dennis, and is currently in the process of closing on another Dennis property. The company currently houses 25 employees across its properties, Bogdanovich said. The properties are rented according to what workers can afford to pay, and are not designed to generate a profit. But the company benefits from the stability that the housing provides its employees, he said.

"Instead of trying to look at it from a real estate perspective, we just want to break even," he said. "Our employees who are renting are often doing so at a better-than-market rate. As long as it pays the mortgage, so to speak, it's really working for us."

Broad Reach builds some flexibility into its rentals, allowing employees the option of deferring rent during the winter months to use their earnings instead to keep up with the higher cost of utilities. Bogdanovich said Broad Reach takes a "buy smart" approach to purchasing properties, making sure the cost comes in at a point where the company can keep rent low for employees. The company also had good partnerships from local banks in its property purchases, he said. "If we can get a better handle on it, we could do a lot to stabilize our workforce that might not otherwise be as stable, and prevent year-round people from leaving the Cape," he said of the region's housing problems.

The issue of housing is front of mind for local officials across the Cape, as towns continue to work toward ways of creating the affordable and workforce housing that is needed in their communities. That includes changes to local zoning. In Orleans, articles are set to go before voters at the annual town meeting on May 8 that would expand upon where and how housing can be created. One article, if passed, would reduce the minimum lot size for a one- or two-family dwelling from 40,000 to 20,000 square feet. Another seeks to allow accessory dwelling units on panhandle lots. Planning officials in Orleans have also discussed the potential for creating dormitory housing in town for seasonal workers.

At last month's discussion with the Orleans Citizens Forum, Junkins said regulatory changes are needed at the local level to make efforts to create housing less restrictive.

"There has got to be other ways to make it easier," he said. "We can still adhere to every regulation that we need to adhere to, but let's think about how to make it easy rather than put the stop sign up every time we ask a question."

Email Ryan Bray at ryan@capecodchronicle.com

Broad Reach Hospice Receives National Patient Satisfaction Award

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 18:24:59 GMT

2022 Hospice CAHPS Award of Distinction

CHATHAM – Broad Reach Hospice announced it has received the Hospice Award of Distinction for the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), part of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a federal agency.

Broad Reach Hospice works to bring meaning and fulfillment during the final stages of life, in addition to providing comfort and management of symptoms related to a patient’s illness. It provides care wherever a patient calls home, including private homes, congregate housing sites, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, and in some cases acute care hospitals across Cape Cod.

Hospice care continues for families and caregivers for a minimum of 13 months after a patient has passed. Broad Reach’s multidisciplinary grief care team consists of chaplains, social workers, and volunteers who meet regularly to review and discuss the difficulties that the bereaved are experiencing.

The CAHPS program works closely with a consortium of research organizations to conduct research on patient experience and develop surveys that ask consumers and patients to report on and evaluate their experiences with health plans, providers, and health care facilities. The survey for hospices was handled by WellSky, a best practice research and consulting firm specializing in home care, palliative care, and hospices.

“This recognition of exceptional performance in caregiver satisfaction is remarkable whenever it occurs, but for our team to have accomplished this during the most challenging times of the pandemic truly speaks to their extraordinary compassion and commitment” said Jamie Nunes, RN, Broad Reach’s Hospice Program Administrator.

Since 2004, Broad Reach Hospice has been providing end-of-life care that honors the dignity, comfort, and spiritual well-being of patients and families.

Established in Chatham in 1986, now a multifaceted community, Broad Reach Healthcare is proud to be Cape Cod’s longest-standing locally owned provider of post-acute care.

Minding Your Business: The Victorian Assisted Living at Broad Reach

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 16:26:51 GMT

Minding Your Business - By Amy Tagliaferri

The Victorian Assisted Living at Broad Reach

389 Orleans Rd. North Chatham

508-945- 1211 BroadReachHealth.org StefanieMurray@BroadReachHealth.org

Twenty-five years ago, the Victorian Assisted Living opened its doors. The Victorian is 40 studio apartments and suites with lots of common space.

“There’s a living room, a lounge, a dining room (with an executive chef who prepares gourmet meals), a library, and we hold church services, too,” said Stefanie Murray, the facilities executive director. “The common rooms and the outside porch and courtyards encourage visiting with each other or with company. The residents’ children and grandchildren come to visit all the time, often with pets. The Victorian is a home; it is their home. A home we just work in every day.” The Victorian is modeled for seniors who wish to maintain an independent lifestyle but may need some assistance now and again. It offers 24-hour staffing, medication monitoring, three meals a day (and snacks), transportation if needed to medical appointments, personal care assistance and an emergency alarm system.

“Chatham is a very tight-knit community, the residents at the Victorian all knew each other before they came here,” added Murray. “I know them all too. I grew up here.” Murray worked at another assisted living facility on the Cape, and when they shut their doors, she came on here as the activities director, eventually moving into the executive director position.

Murray said the residents don’t sit around. “The 40 folks who live here like to have fun. We go on field trips all the time; we got to the Orpheum, shopping at thrift shops and the shops downtown, weekly grocery store trips and sometimes just for scenic rides.” Some of the residents still drive too, Murray told me.

“We are very social! I do monthly wine tastings with the kitchen preparing meals that complement the wine. We have a happy hour on Fridays, too. The Victorian is a very cozy and personal place.” You can tell Murray loves her job. She and the staff are friends with the residents. “Everything they need is right here and if not at the Victorian, it’s right across the

street.

The proximity of the Liberty Commons’ medical facility is another advantage. Liberty Commons covers the gamut of healthcare needs facing senior citizens, from rehab and convalescence to long term, with all the medical services you need. “This whole company has very high standards,” said Murray. “We are decidedly very non-corporate. We care.”

“I feel like I’m walking in to see my grandparents every day!”

The Victorian Assisted Living at Broad Reach

389 Orleans Rd. North Chatham

508-945-1211

StefanieMurray@BroadReachHealth.org

MINDING YOUR BUSINESS runs weekly in The Cape Cod Chronicle and profiles businesses that advertise with us. These civic-minded individuals make it possible to keep you informed about the goings on in our area. We urge you to support the merchants pictured above who also shop and work locally. The Cape Cod Chronicle is your hometown independent weekly newspaper.

PIONEERS & ROGUES: Bill Bogdanovich

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 17:15:01 GMT

Featured in New England Administrator

March 2023

We regularly feature a New England individual whose accomplishments–good or bad–helped to shape our profession. In this issue, we are featuring a true pioneer from Massachusetts: Bill Bogdanovich, CNHA, CALA, CAS, FACHCA.

by Rick Gamache, FACHCA

BILL BOGDANOVICH STARTED HIS CAREER IN NURSING HOMES as a dishwasher and worked his way through training to become an administrator in 1987, which is the same year he joined ACHCA. Today, Bill is President and CEO of Broad Reach Healthcare, a continuum of services for older adults located in North Chatham on Cape Cod.

The flagship of Broad Reach Healthcare is Liberty Commons, an innovative skilled nursing community with a capacity to care for 132 older adults. Other features within the Broad Reach portfolio are a 40-apartment assisted living residence, an out-patient rehabilitation clinic, a comprehensive hospice program, and more.

As a longtime College member, Bill is well known within our profession and has a much-deserved reputation as a forward thinker and compassionate leader. In 2018, several local and regional media outlets featured the story of a bold recruitment and retention strategy Bill created to attract staff members in the notoriously difficult labor market of Cape Cod. Bill began purchasing residential properties located within geo- graphic proximity to Liberty Commons and offered workforce-affordable housing at below-market rents to his employees.

The population on Cape Cod swells during the summer, as vacationers flock to beaches, and restaurants and retailers compete for seasonal hires. The cost of housing also grows exponentially at that time. After Labor Day, the population on the Cape decreases, but the workforce shrinks, too. By offering rents for his employees that are not driven by whatever the market will bear, Bill's organization has been able to avoid some of the ebb and flow of turnover that is affecting everyone.

That’s not to say that Broad Reach Healthcare is immune to the impact of the unprecedented labor shortage within long-term care across the U.S., but retention rates for staff at Liberty Commons have consistently averaged fifty percentage points better than national and state aver- ages.

Providing more affordable housing for staff is only one component of Bill’s vision to create a workforce-friendly culture. For example, Broad Reach has long offered its employees emergency loans when they encounter a financial hardship. The “Helping Hands” fund exists to assist a staff member with an unexpected expense or a larger- than-expected utility bill that can be paid back through payroll deductions, interest- free.

Currently, about 10% of the company’s employees live in Broad Reach's workforce housing. They are not required to come up with an up-front first month/last month down payment or a security deposit. They are, however, required to remain employed by Broad Reach to continue receiving premium rent-structure and other benefits. Broad Reach even allows these employee- tenants to defer their rent when expenses like high winter utility bills spike.

The actions of their president and CEO clearly communicate to Broad Reach’s staff that they work in an organization where they matter, and where leadership cares about them. In the current labor market, demonstrating care for employees is essential to survive. Bill Bogdanovich has been ahead of that curve for years.

After all this time in the profession, I asked Bill what keeps him going. He takes pride in seeing the accomplishments of people he has hired and mentored, he states. But I think it’s more. In my short con- versation with him I could sense that he loves staying one step ahead of the competition. He was comparing his competitor’s PBJ data to his own when I called. Earlier, he was meeting with a group of new employees to welcome them to Broad Reach Healthcare and share the organization’s unique culture.

Bill stays balanced, never allowing him- self to get too high or too low, which has become more difficult than ever before. He says the nursing home environment, (the over-regulated, under-funded, short-staffed- while-dealing-with-a-pandemic side) is not forgiving. To succeed, he believes one must accept that it’s an assignment of responsibility that just doesn’t exist the same way in other business sectors or professions, and that you must create a sense of personal agency over it, controlling what you can, rolling with what you cannot. Even at its most challenging, Bill believes a leader in aging services can be successful, provided they are with the right organization.

In the middle of Cape Cod, Bill Bogdanovich has created such a place.

Richard Gamache, MS, FACHCA, is CEO of Aldersbridge Communities in RI, and teaches Long Term Care Administration at RI College. He is also an item writer for the NAB exam and the assistant editor of New England Administrator.

Broad Reach Healthcare Welcomes Saranya Thomas, MSW and Jacquie Magiera, LCSW to our Social Work Team!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 14:10:06 GMT

We officially welcome Saranya Thomas, MSW and Jacquie Magiera, LCSW to new roles at Liberty Commons!

They’ve been the most recent additions to our Social Work team, joining last year, and serving in various capacities, assisting with social work coverage in various areas of the facility. It’s great now to have established more permanent roles for them, and make introductions accordingly:

Saranya’s focus is on the Stage Harbor Unit as their main social worker, working with both the long term residents on the Stage Harbor west wing as well as the short term patients on the Stage Harbor North Wing. Her usual work hours are:

o Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8AM-4PM,

o Tuesday and Thursday 7:30AM-3:30PM.

Saranya may be reached at 508.945.1611 x240 or by email at SaranyaThomas@BroadReachHealth.org .

Jacquie’s focus is on the Oyster Pond Unit, as their main social worker. Her usual work hours are:

o Mondays 8AM -1PM,

o Tuesday 8AM-12:30PM

o Wednesday & Thursday 8AM -1PM.

Jacquie may be reached at 508.945.1611 x242 or by email at JacquieMagiera@BroadReachHealth.org .

Becky Schnaible (x241) and Beth Lagg (x243) will continue with primary caseloads on the Pleasant Bay nursing unit. Schedules and contact information for all of us is on our office doors as well.

We are happy to have them as part of our Broad Reach Family, to support everyone at Liberty Commons!

New Board Chair Brings ‘Informed Passion’ to Role - Housing Assistance Corporation Cape Cod

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 13:00:02 GMT

New Board Chair Brings ‘Informed Passion’ to Role - Housing Assistance Corporation Cape Cod

The new chair of the Housing Assistance board of directors has seen firsthand the effects of Cape Cod’s housing crisis. Why? Because it’s affecting his business.

Brewster resident Bill Bogdanovich is president and CEO of Broad Reach Healthcare, a company of 300 employees that offers post-acute and community-based healthcare. About five years ago, managers at Broad Reach noticed that a housing-triggered life crisis was causing some staff members to move off-Cape.

“Housing has been a growing challenge for those at the beginning of their career paths,” he said. “Now it’s a challenge for people in professional positions, such as social workers, nurses and therapists.”

Broad Reach looked into opportunities for year-round properties that could be used as rentals.

“We [now] have a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as a house that is used in a shared way,” he said. “We’re able to offer housing to about 26 of our employees, and it’s made a huge difference for us. It’s helped us keep people who would otherwise be gone.”

Throughout this time, Bogdanovich stayed in touch with Housing Assistance CEO Alisa Magnotta. The two met when she was executive director at Alzheimer’s Services of Cape Cod & the Islands and he was on the board.

“She’s been a great resource as I contemplated my own work with the challenges of workforce housing,” he said. “When she mentioned the opportunity to serve on the Housing Assistance board, I couldn’t say no.”

Bogdanovich said he views his chairman of the board role as supporting and strengthening the work Housing Assistance does to stabilize, educate and empower some of the region’s most vulnerable people.

“As somebody who’s lived on the Cape for 30-plus years, I’d like to think that my presence can bring an informed passion to what Housing Assistance does going forward and help motivate others to be part of the solution,” he said.

Magnotta said Bogdanovich, who became Housing Assistance board chairman in December, will continue a legacy of support and vision carried out by previous board chairs.

“We are grateful for the work of Ray Tamasi, who served as interim chair after the passing of Peter Muise last July,” said Magnotta. “I know from my past work with Bill that he will bring his unique energy and insight to his new role on the Housing Assistance board.”

February 14th, 2023|Categories: HACBeat |Tags: Bill Bogdanovich , HAC Board of Directors

Liberty Commons rated "High Performer" for short term rehabilitation by U.S. News and World Report!

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 21:05:29 GMT

Liberty Commons Short Term Rehabilitation Ratings

This rating evaluates a nursing home's quality of post-acute care for patients recovering from a hospital stay such as after stroke, heart attack, infection or accidental injury.

Residents able to return home At Liberty Commons , 61.1% of residents were able to return home after being discharged. Compare to Massachusetts 56.0% and national 53.8% averages. The ability to return to a personal residence rather than a hospital or other care setting is an indication of successful rehabilitation.

Emergency room visits At Liberty Commons, 10.6% of short term residents needed to go to an ER during their stay. Compare to Massachusetts 10.9% and national 11.1% averages. Lower is better. Fewer visits to emergent care is indicative of higher quality of care and attention to resident safety.

Falls with major injury At Liberty Commons, 1.2% of residents fell, resulting in a major injury such as a bone fracture or dislocation. Compare to Massachusetts 0.9% and national 0.9% averages. Lower is better. Preventing injury is an indicator of quality care and attention to resident safety.

Rehospitalizations At Liberty Commons, 17.6% of residents were rehospitalized during their stay. Compare to Massachusetts 23.9% and national 22.1% averages. Lower is better. Fewer rehospitalizations is indicative of higher quality of care and attention to resident safety.

Infections resulting in hospitalization At Liberty Commons, 4.8% of serious infections were developed during the rehabilitation stay. Compare to Massachusetts 5.3% and national 6.0% averages. Lower is better. Preventing infection is an indicator of quality care and attention to resident safety.

Use of antipsychotic drugs At Liberty Commons, 6.7% of residents were given antipsychotic drugs. Compare to Massachusetts 23.2% and national 19.8% averages. Lower is better. High levels of use of these drugs can indicate inappropriate use for behavior control rather than for medical treatment.

Rate of substantiated complaints At Liberty Commons, a low or average volume of complaints A low rate of complaints is associated with better safety and satisfaction.

Resident-centered rehabilitation therapy At Liberty Commons, 54.0% of residents received more than the minimum amount of therapy appropriate for their condition. Compare to Massachusetts 68.3% and national 48.5% averages. More therapy minutes suggest residents are receiving appropriate care.

Nurse Staffing At Liberty Commons, 3 hours 50 minutes of nurse staffing per resident per day. Compare to Massachusetts 3 hours 51 minutes and national 3 hours 45 minutes averages. Adequate staffing is associated with better safety and outcomes.

Nurse staffing consistency At Liberty Commons, 100.0% of days when a registered nurse was on site for at least 8 hours. Compare to Massachusetts 98.0% and national 97.5% averages. Some nursing homes may fall short of the federal minimum requirement for daily registered nurse staffing. Registered nurses have the highest training level among nursing staff.

Physical therapist staffing At Liberty Commons, 6 minutes of physical rehabilitation per person per day. Compare to Massachusetts 5 minutes and national 5 minutes averages. Residents who receive appropriate PT are more likely to go home on time and be able to avoid injury.

Source: https://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes/area/ma/liberty-commons-225330?int=nursing_home_ratings_short-term#short-term

Established in Chatham in 1986, now a multifaceted community, Broad Reach Healthcare is proud to be Cape Cod’s longest-standing locally-owned provider of post-acute care.

Promotion Announced! New Administrator at Broad Reach Hospice.

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:32:40 GMT

Meet Jamie Nunes

Jamie Nunes has been promoted to the position of Hospice Administrator at Broad Reach Hospice, having been part of Broad Reach since 2014.

She became a nurse more than 40 years ago and, as she puts it in modest fashion, her career has embraced “a wide variety of things.” Her hospital work began in cardiac critical care and medical surgery suites, and evolved, adding more management and administrative responsibilities. “As kind of a fluke, I took a temporary position in a VNA (Visiting Nurse Association) off-Cape, and that’s how I first got involved in home care,” she recalls. That was 30 years ago. She came to Cape Cod in 1994 to continue that focus, working with the VNA here for 15 years, six of them as a team leader.

In 2014, she made the move to Broad Reach. She was the hospice clinical services director for seven years, then returned to bedside nursing in a case manager role for the last year. In October, she was asked to step into the administrator’s role in an acting capacity, and now is promoted to serve as the agency’s administrator.

Her responsibilities include leadership of a team of about 35 professionals, ranging from front office administration to admissions, nursing staff, home health aides and social workers, quality improvement and education, chaplaincy, and bereavement services. She can step in as a manager on call, and given her extensive hands-on professional experience, becomes a resource for advice on patient care and best practices.

“When Jamie joined us almost ten years ago, her rare combination of extensive clinical experience combined with a deeply rooted sense of hospice, its philosophy and crucial role in quality of life made her a defining success point as Broad Reach Hospice grew to serve more and more of Cape Cod.” says Bill Bogdanovich, President and CEO of Broad Reach Health Care. “We’re proud to have her step into this leadership position in our community.”

“Hospice is clinically driven, but really very much heart driven as well,” says Jamie. “We build and keep building relationships with our clients and their families as well as our care partners. Part of my role is to ensure we keep our caseloads low enough so nurses can spend the time they need at moments of crisis and remain as supportive as possible. This flexibility helps make it possible for this great team to do its important work.”

Promotion Announced! New Executive Director at The Victorian Assisted Living

ChrisJones@broadreachhealth.org (Chris Jones) — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 14:22:55 GMT

Meet Stefanie Murray

Stefanie Murray has been promoted to the position of Executive Director at The Victorian Assisted Living Residence in Chatham, having most recently served as its Assistant Director. She first joined Broad Reach in 2019.

She took an unusual career path to make her way to the Broad Reach Health Care campus.

Born and raised in Chatham, while in college in New Hampshire she explored meteorology, thinking maybe she would become a “storm chaser.” Instead she made her way back to the Cape and worked in an office environment for 10 years, while becoming choir director for her church.

“I realized how much I love working with older people, because many of the people in the choir were in their 80s and 90s,” she recalls.

So she followed that passion, first with a position as director of activities for a now-closed assisted living residence in Brewster. From there, she came to Broad Reach in 2019 to help build The Victorian’s activities program.

“We are so fortunate to be able to have Stefanie step into our Executive Director’s position,” said Bill Bogdanovich, President and CEO of Broad Reach Health Care. “Her inspired experience and her deep understanding of the culture, both here and in the Chatham community, make her a perfect fit to

become The Victorian’s leader.”

The Victorian is home to 40 residents, each in their own apartments. Stefanie’s longstanding involvement has allowed her to get to know everyone, “and they get to know me,” she adds. “They know my kids, I know their kids. It becomes a family setting. You know what it’s like? It’s like I have a lot of grandparents.”

“There might be a misconception about assisted living,” she continues. “There is actually a lot of freedom. Some residents are still driving, for example. I try to work from the perspective that this is their home and we just work in it. We’re here to help people be independent, but they have the right to choose to participate, or choose not to. This is a place of comfort.”

“Our goal,” she concludes, “is to make meaningful memories here.”

Established in Chatham in 1986, now a multifaceted community, Broad Reach Healthcare is proud to be Cape Cod’s longest-standing locally-owned provider of post-acute care.

A Century Of Life: The Three Centenarians

AlexisRomano@broadreachhealth.org (Alexis Romano) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 18:23:11 GMT

Centenarians Maryanne Lockyer (Left), Podgie Weissent (Center) and Rita Newman (Right) all sit in rocking chairs on the porch of their home, The Victorian in Chatham. BRENDAN SAMSON PHOTO

A Century Of Life: The Three Centenarians At The Victorian Share Their Stories

10 August 2022

By: Brendan Samson

Topics: Aging

CHATHAM — What is the secret to a long life? Well, if you ask the three centenarians living at The Victorian, there is no secret.

The Victorian, which is located at 389 Orleans Rd., is an assisted living residence on the Broad Reach Healthcare campus. It is home to 36 residents, three of whom are at least 100 years old.

Podgie Weissent, 100, Maryanne Lockyer, 100, and Rita Newman, who turned 101 years old last week, have seen all the changes in the world over the past century, but their key to living is to just go day by day.

“I always kept active, playing golf and working, and I mean, I’ve never really given it any thought,” Weissent said.

Keeping active for some is walking every morning, but for Weissent, it was golfing until 2019, at the spry age of 96. She says it has been her favorite hobby ever since she was young, and if it was not for breaking her hip that same year, she would still be out on the course.

While Newman and Lockyer were not golfing into their 90s like Weissent, they do have the same mindset about life. Both have never given their age any thought; instead, they just enjoy “good living,” as Newman puts it, and agree that their greatest accomplishments in life are their families.

Lockyer, who moved to The Victorian from Pennsylvania in 2015 with her husband, looks back on her 100 years and is proud to see all the different generations that have come after her.

“I think my biggest joy is that in a family with four children that are now all grown and have children of their own, they're closer now with their siblings than they ever were, and they seem to enjoy each other more,” Lockyer said.

Not only are Lockyer’s four children all grown, but they have also provided her with grandchildren and great grandchildren, making their family span four generations.

Lockyer’s family always visits her at the Cape on Aug. 18, which was her husband’s birthday. This year, she will get to see her new great grandson for the first time.

“I have four children, three daughters and a son, and they've been very good to us,” Lockyer said. “I seem to have a lot of caregivers in my family, I have two daughters who are nurses and two granddaughters who are occupational therapists.”

Being a caregiver is another commonality between the three. Lockyer spent her life raising three daughters and a son, Newman has two sons, one of whom lives on the Cape now and is her caregiver, and Weissent was a nurse herself and raised two children, one son and one daughter. For Newman, raising her children was her focus.

“I raised them well, and they're doing well and that's all that counts,” Newman said. “I feel good, they got their education and they’re doing good.”

Newman was born in New Hampshire, but has lived in Massachusetts her entire life, more specifically, she has lived in Chatham since the 1950s and been able to see all the ways that the town has changed.

“A lot of building and a lot of tourism,” Newman said.

Weissent has also lived in Massachusetts for most of her life, Walpole specifically, but was born in Barnet, Vt., where she spent 11 years growing up on a farm.

“We did everything,” Weissent said. “I had two sisters and we did everything, we worked like boys. My poor father didn't have any boys.”

Now after coming from different backgrounds and different states, the three are all enjoying life at The Victorian.

“They keep us busy. They find things for us to do,” Newman said. “They have all kinds of programs going on, and if you want to participate, you can and if you don't want to, you don’t have to, but they have something going on all the time. It keeps our minds going.”

Some of these programs that are offered include exercise classes, documentaries and sports to watch and a book club. All of it is run by Stefanie Murray, the assistant director and activity director who received high marks from the residents.

“Stefanie’s just dynamite,” Lockyer said.

Even during the brief time that the interview was going on, this light-hearted spirit was evident. One staff member was dressed up in a shark costume to celebrate “Shark Week,” the annual weeklong shark program on the Discovery Channel.

“That's the thing about here, they're always thinking of different things to keep us laughing, which is fun,” Newman said. “If we didn’t laugh, we might as well die.”

A Tribute to Our Workforce During National Skilled Nursing Week

Thu, 12 May 2022 13:54:43 GMT

Our President and CEO is among the state's industry leaders saluting the perseverance and dedication demonstrated throughout the pandemic

Click HERE to learn more...

President Resident Council Swear In

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 19:08:20 GMT

Liberty Commons’ Resident Council has a New President:

President Karl Clark is a team player from way back

He also is a Cape Cod native, 93 years old on April 23, so there aren’t many who can make that claim for as long, or boast a sharper memory. Nor are there many who add the title “President” to a nonagenarian resume.

Karl assumed his new role in March, elected in February by a vote of Liberty Commons’ residents. The resident council group of 10 or more meets monthly to remain up-to-date on facility operations, offer feedback and develop suggestions on the facility and its operation. A key role is to relate any and all concerns residents might have to administration and staff, then relay answers and information through the community. The Resident Council also offers a forum for residents to become educated about their rights while residing in a long-term care facility, helping to make a caring environment the best it can be.

Karl is an Air Force Veteran who was stationed in Japan and served in Korea. Growing up a baseball catcher calling pitches, playing in the Cape League as far back as 1947 (including tryouts for the Red Sox), then becoming a land surveyor during Cape Cod’s boom years, was all good experience. But he’s quick to say that if anything serious shows up – which hasn’t really happened yet – he knows what his gameplan will be: “I’ll go ask Steve what he thinks.”

Steve Franco has been at Broad Reach for 13 years as the activity and recreation director, 33 years in the health care field, so he’s seen pretty much every situation that might arise. He also facilitates the resident council, coordinating meetings and agendas, presenting latest updates and information. Of late much of the discussion has been COVID related. “Key questions have been on everyone’s mind,” says Franco: “When can visitors come in? When can we go back out? Of course many aspects keep changing, so I remind everyone to please inform their peers, and then if they hear anything, please bring it to the next meeting.”

Pre-COVID, topics ranged from dining questions to a note that one area of the facility might need better lighting, or a report that new windows being were being installed. “Anything is a big thing,” says Franco, “because everything matters.” Another example; when the council received reports that a threshold on the way into the dining area was creating a little bump for wheelchairs passing through, the issue was raised and the floor smoothed out.

Recently most of the feedback has been “gratitude to the staff” for working through tough times, but not only that. For example, we just voted on one thing: There is a player piano here that was purchased around 2016, in the lobby, connected to the Internet. One day it konked out, but we put that on the back burner because we weren’t gathering much during the pandemic, and it was an expensive repair. So last week, we voted to fix it, and use more than $2000 from the resident council’s fundraising (bake sales and the like). They all felt really good about it, and the message it sent: Hey, it’s time to party again! “There was another strong sentiment expressed at the time: We are looking forward to our series of summer cookouts!”

Another responsibility of the council and its president is to meet with a Massachusetts Department of Public Health team that conducts a nursing home survey inspection every 9-15 months for multiple days. Included in that tour, inspectors meet with the Resident Council and review the council’s meeting minutes.

Karl as President becomes part of the facility “exit interview,” directly hearing the survey team’s findings and offering feedback.

“The council’s role,” says Franco, “is to be witnesses for the residents. And then, participate in the development of choices regarding activities, food, personal care, living arrangements, all aspects of resident life. Leadership at Broad Reach considers the views of the resident council and acts promptly on recommendations or grievances.”

State and Federal regulations require all skilled nursing facilities to facilitate resident councils, though Public Health officials have told Franco that this one is “exceptional” for its monthly engagement. “What I really like about it is that everyone feels more ownership,” he adds. “After all, this is their home.”

Of course that includes President Clark, though bigger picture Cape Cod will always be his home; one of his sons continues the tradition as varsity soccer coach at Monomoy High School. And before COVID, when the council sponsored a field trip to see a Chatham A’s Cape League baseball game, of course Karl was all for it. Broad Reach CEO Bill Bogdanovich threw out the first pitch; had it been a few years earlier, Karl Clark would have caught it.

Established in Chatham in 1986, now a multifaceted community, Broad Reach Healthcare is proud to be Cape Cod’s longest-standing locally-owned and operated provider of post-acute care.

Cape Cod Times Article; Front Line Wages

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 18:01:19 GMT

Broad Reach Healthcare Bumping Minimum Wage to $20 Per Hour

To read the Full Cape Cod Times Article, click here

Broad Reach Healthcare Welcomes New Administrator!

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:14:30 GMT

A Native Son Returns to Become the Third Generation of Leadership at Broad Reach

For Jason Lavallee, stepping into the top administrator’s role for Liberty Commons is more than a homecoming for a native Cape Codder; he’s building on two generations of experience and tradition, assuming a role he always hoped to fill even if it’s all happening faster than he expected.

Jason’s grandmother began working at Broad Reach in the earliest days, 1986, serving as Liberty Commons’ first Director of Nursing and then in the role of Executive Director of the Victorian Assisted Living before her retirement back in the 2000s.

“My dad started at Liberty Commons in 1991 as a social worker,” Jason recalls, “and became its administrator in 1994,” leaving in 2000 for a job with a larger company that had a facility in Centerville. That was where Jason got his first job as a 14-year-old Dennis-Yarmouth High School student, washing dishes.

Through the 1990’s both Jason’s grandmother and father worked closely with Broad Reach’s President and CEO, Bill Bogdanovich. In 2017, when Jason was a completing his undergraduate degree, he took a summer internship shadowing Bill, getting to know something about pretty much every department in the facility’s operation. The Broad Reach connection continued: After Jason graduated from the University of New Hampshire and moved forward with preparation to become a licensed nursing home administrator, Bogdanovich again served as his mentor, known as a “preceptor” – the same key role he played for Jason’s dad twenty years earlier.

Lavallee’s began his professional career, license in hand, with a nursing home facility in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston. That company owns 11 homes, a year later sending Jason to Gloucester to fill in as an interim administrator for a 142-bed skilled nursing facility that needed leadership through a transition. That went well (“I learned so much,” he recalls), and resulted in the company putting Jason in full-time charge of their Braintree facility.

“Throughout, I stayed in contact with Bill,” says Jason. “He always knew that one day, I wanted to get back to the Cape.”

The two got together for lunch at the Chatham Squire as Thanksgiving and Christmas approached, and Bill was direct: “’What would it take to get you back to the Cape?’” Jason remembers him asking. It was a question Jason always anticipated, but he hadn’t expected it to come this quickly, at 25 years old:

“I’ve always set goals for myself, three years, five years, 10 years, and I aspired to get back to the Cape, but more like in three to five years. This was two years earlier. But everything in my career so far seems to have been expedited.”

With the leadership role on the table, Jason didn’t hesitate. “To be able to come back to this organization, where my family has done so much, that’s a uniquely special thing,” he says. By the first of the year, he and his former “preceptor” shook hands, with a February 1 start.

The role is akin to being a “mini-CEO” of Liberty Commons, responsible for employees and day-to-day operations. “All I want is that we offer the best care possible and the best place for people to work,” he says. “At the end of the day, whether someone is with us to rehab for a short time or longer term, this is their home and that’s what matters most.

“The biggest immediate goal for me right now is getting through the chaos COVID has brought to healthcare. We’ve all been battling it for two years now. My career so far has been a kind of crisis management every day.”

For now, Jason is living at the family homestead in Yarmouth Port, solving the housing problem that inhibits so many people from taking jobs on the Cape. He’d love to stay in the village where he grew up, so house hunting is likely to begin soon.

But as far as his profession goes, he’s already home!

LIBERTY COMMONS HONORED WITH POST-ACUTE STROKE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AWARD

james@juuced.com (James Nunn) — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 21:17:45 GMT

Participant of the Paul Coverdell Post-acute Quality Improvement Collaborative.

CHATHAM, MA — Broad Reach Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center at Liberty Commons has received the Post-acute Collaborative Participation Award from the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH).

The award recognizes post-acute facilities that participate in the Collaborative and have shown dedication in improving the care stroke patients receive in a post-hospital setting in 2020.

Participants have engaged in regional meetings and learning sessions, submitted health care data, and shown quality improvement activities in their facilities.

Established in Chatham in 1986, now a multifaceted community, Broad Reach Healthcare is proud to be Cape Cod’s longest-standing locally owned provider of post-acute care.

“At Liberty Commons we strive to provide exceptional care to all our patients. We are proud to be working on improving the post-acute care of stroke patients,” said Bill Bogdanovich, President and CEO of Broad Reach.

Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the Commonwealth, and a leading cause of adult disability. Knowing key signs and symptoms of stroke and calling 9-1-1 immediately can save a life. The F.A.S.T. acronym is an easy way to remember:

Face: Does the face look uneven? Ask the person to smile

Arm: Does one arm drift down? Ask the person to raise both arms

Speech: Does speech sound strange? Ask the person to repeat a phrase

Time: If you observe these symptoms, call 9-1-1

For more information about the Massachusetts Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program, FAST and the DPH stroke awareness campaign, please visit: www.mass.gov/dph/heartstroke .

Quality Management Annual Report for 2020

AngelaMurphy@broadreachhealth.org (Angela Murphy) — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 13:51:41 GMT

Broad Reach Healthcare CORE Quality Management & Improvement Annual Report 2020

Click to view

Broad Reach Hospice Virtual Memorial Service 2021

AngelaMurphy@broadreachhealth.org (Angela Murphy) — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 15:04:27 GMT

Click the Image to View the Video

Join the Broad Reach Family

james@juuced.com (James Nunn) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:18:16 GMT

At Broad Reach Healthcare we are always looking for talented individuals who care about their future and are seeking a fulfilling career. Our employees are committed to providing the highest quality of comprehensive care. With short term and long term care units, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, hospice care, social work, activities, dietary and maintenance departments we offer a wide variety of employment opportunities. We also offer educational services to aids, CNA’s and nurses to assist you further your educational and professional career and to grow as a member of the Broad Reach Family.

If you want to join a family providing a Community of Care and help maintain our leadership position on Cape Cod, apply to Broad Reach Healthcare.

The COVID-19 Vaccine Comes To Chatham

james@juuced.com (James Nunn) — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 19:37:16 GMT

By: Tim Wood

The Cape Cod Chronicle

Edith Brammer gets ready to become among the first residents of the Victorian Assisted Living facility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. TIM WOOD PHOTO

CHATHAM – Nancy Ryder Petrus had no misgivings about getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I'm 100 percent positive,” she said. “At my age, I'll take my chances.”

On Tuesday, a team of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians took over the dining hall at the Victorian Assisted Living facility in North Chatham and set up check-in and inoculation stations so residents and staff could receive the vaccine. Along with the residents and staff of Liberty Commons Nursing Home across Route 28, they were among the first in long-term care facilities on the Cape to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

“It's certainly a step in the right direction,” said Victorian Executive Director Celeste Fox. “It's been a long year.”

Long-term care facilities have been vectors for the coronavirus, and the elderly are considered among those most vulnerable to the virus. After front-line healthcare workers, seniors are the next group to receive the vaccine, according to Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Given the current surge, it can't happen soon enough, said William Bogdanovich, president and CEO of Broad Reach Healthcare.

“The degree to which this is what we hope is the light at the end of the tunnel cannot be understated,” he said. While more access to testing, allowing detection of asymptomatic positive cases, is a significant improvement over the spring, something about this surge is “much more challenging,” he said. Still, the Cape is much more fortunate than other areas of the country, he added.

“But you can only hold off tides for so long before you need something stronger to protect the shoreline. We’re hoping this vaccine will be just that revetment that knocks back those waves,” said Bogdanovich.

The team at Broad Reach Tuesday was based at a CVS Pharmacy in Scituate; Tuesday was their second day administering vaccines at long-term care facilities. CVS is administering the COVID-19 vaccine to residents and staff at long-term care facilities nationwide under contract with the federal government. Through CVS's Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care program, the vaccine is being made available with no out-of-pocket costs.

Residents and staff at the Broad Reach facilities received the Pfizer vaccine, which requires a second round of vaccinations, scheduled for Jan. 19, Bogdanovich said. A total of 130 patients and residents of the Victorian and Liberty Commons were registered to receive the vaccine Tuesday, along with 171 staff members.

First responders are the next group in line to get the vaccine. Director of Natural Resources Robert Duncanson said Barnstable County will be providing the vaccine. A regional clinic will likely be held to administer the shots to police and firefighters sometime in early January, he said. Public works staff and educators will be next, he said.

“We don't have any specific dates for those particular ones,” he told selectmen last week.

There has been only one positive COVID-19 case at the Victorian, and the person was moved into a COVID-dedicated care area at Liberty Commons. The person has now tested negative twice and is completing quarantine, according to Bogdanovich. Followup testing among Victorian residents found no positive cases. Liberty Commons has been aggressive in its testing, using a Point of Care antigen test. Residents who test positive can be quarantined immediately while PCR lab testing is done to confirm the positive reading. Six residents recently tested positive with the antigen test, and PCR results are pending, Bogdanovich said.

At the Victorian Tuesday, staff watched over each resident for about 15 minutes after the vaccine was administered to make sure there were no ill effects, while paramedics from the fire department stood by.

“We have resources here just in case,” said Fox.

Petras, who grew up in town, said she's felt safe living at the Victorian, and receiving the vaccine will help her feel more positive.

“It's a gift,” she said. “It's been a long, long year.”

Vaccine rollout begins at Cape nursing homes

james@juuced.com (James Nunn) — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 19:28:18 GMT

Morale Booster

By Cynthia McCormick

Cape Cod Times

CVS pharmacist Abdul Shamseddine prepares a vaccine Tuesday at Liberty Commons in Chatham. Residents and staff received the fi rst dose of the Pfi zer COVID-19 vaccine, in the hope that conditions at the long-term care facility will soon be safe enough to resume musical, religious and recreational activities. [MERRILY CASSIDY/ CAPE COD TIMES]

Image Right: Kemoy Burke-Lyons, left, a CNA at Liberty Commons, receives a vaccine Tuesday from CVS pharmacist Debbie Tolland.

CHATHAM — Anyone driving by the parking lot at Liberty Commons nursing home Tuesday afternoon would have known a momentous event was taking place.

Vehicles jammed the lot, spilling onto the lawn, while off-duty employees waited outside to join their colleagues indoors for the first of two shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Broad Reach Healthcare, the owner of Liberty Commons and The Victorian assisted living facility across Orleans Road, was one of the first long-term care facilities on Cape Cod to start vaccinating residents and employees.

The vaccination process that started rolling out in long-term care residences in Massachusetts on Monday as part of step two in phase one promises to bring an end to the nightmare of nursing home COVID-19 deaths and the isolation imposed to protect frail residents from the novel coronavirus.

“Everybody is very excited, especially family members” of residents, said Mckenzie Tyler, a nursing assistant waiting in the vaccination line in the lower level of Liberty Commons.

She said she hates getting shots but said the COVID-19 vaccine is important to ensure the safety of residents who have had no visitors due to recent cases of coronavirus in the facility. Once residents get the second shot “we are hopeful we are able to resume a normal social life for our patients and residents,” said Alena West, quality assurance director at Broad Reach.

“It’s been incredibly lonely” for residents, despite the best efforts of staff to connect families and residents via Zoom and Skype, West said. “I’ve been in health care over 32 years and these are the most difficult months I’ve worked so far,” said Steve Franco, activities and recreation director.

The vaccine holds the promise of eventually making it safe enough for residents to attend musical, religious and recreational events, he said.

Bill Bogdanovich, Broad Reach Health president and CEO, said last week that Liberty Commons had eight people with coronavirus being cared for in a separate unit. Nursing homes are required to close to outside visitors when coronavirus cases spring up. They were closed for months starting in March when the pandemic started ravaging Massachusetts, striking the elderly and people with pre-existing medical conditions with a vengeance.

In Massachusetts, where the average age of a person who has died from the coronavirus is 80 and the average age of hospitalization is 69, nearly 60% of COVID-19 deaths — 7,291 out of 12,218 probable and confirmed cases — have been among residents of long-term care facilities. The percentage on Cape Cod hovers between 50% and 60%. Anywhere from 114 to 126 of the 229 COVID-19 deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities.

The reason for the lack of an exact number is because the state Department of Public Health reports COVID-19 deaths in longterm care centers that number under five as a range from one to four.

The death count was highest at Wingate at Harwich, which lost 21 residents to coronavirus. Royal Cape Cod Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Buzzards Bay lost 20 residents, while at Pleasant Bay of Brewster 19 residents with coronavirus died. Robyn Sloniecki, vice president of operations for Royal Health in Pembroke, said Royal Cotuit in Mashpee is scheduled for the first round of vaccinations on Jan. 10, while Royal Megansett is confirmed for Jan. 14.

Royal Cape Cod was scheduled to get the vaccine Tuesday, but after not receiving confirmation from CVS "we expect it will be delayed,” Sloniecki said in a Monday email. Cape Regency in Centerville, which lost residents to COVID-19, is scheduled to start vaccinations Saturday, while Cape Heritage in Sandwich, where no residents with coronavirus died, begins inoculations on Jan. 13, Karol Montagna of Athena Health Care Systems said in an email.

At Broad Reach Healthcare in Chatham, 115 out of 137 residents were being vaccinated Tuesday along with approximately 180 employees, according to Broad Reach officials. Also included in line were members of the Chatham Fire Department who are charged with taking residents to the hospital when illness or injuries occur. “These guys are on the front line everyday, ” Chatham Fire Department Chief David DePasquale said.

Firefighters and other first responders are in step three of the phase one vaccination rollout that began in mid-December, along with clinical and non-clinical health care employees who work with and around patients with COVID-19. “We’ve had people who have been exposed. We’ve been in and out of quarantine,” DePasquale said. He said 90% of the 28-person department was getting the first shot Tuesday.

The Pfizer vaccine requires a second shot after 21 days to reach the 95% efficacy level demonstrated in clinical trials. “Over the course of the next few weeks, all long-term care facilities will work directly with CVS and Walgreens to schedule their first vaccination clinics,” said Katelyn Reilly, communications director of the Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Command Center.

A second clinic will follow, she said. "People will be able to have some level of comfort there will be some level of immunity" to COVID-19 from the vaccinations, said Sean Griffin, of Osterville, who lost his father, a resident at Cape Regency, to coronavirus in May.

Broad Reach Healthcare officials said they were scheduling three clinics. The second clinic would give a second shot to those who received the first dose Tuesday and the first shot to those who couldn’t make it Tuesday. The third clinic would provide the second dose for those who need it.

“I’m excited that it’s available to us,” said Danielle Leighton, a nurse practitioner at Broad Reach Healthcare. Even though it’s just the first shot of two, Tuesday’s vaccination provided a psychological lift, Leighton said.

" It's so exciting we're taking care of our most vulnerable," said Molly Perdue, co-founder of the Alzheimer's Family Support Center in Brewster, which sponsored a Cards of Hope campaign for residents and staff at Pleasant Bay after the devastating cluster of deaths of COVID-19 patients in the spring.

Hospice Patient, Former Pilot Gets To Fly Once More

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 14:29:00 GMT

CHATHAM – The staff at Broad Reach Hospice and Palliative Care were well aware of Eugene “Gene” Peterson’s background as a Navy and commercial airline pilot. When he expressed a desire to fly again, his care staff went into action. Susan Eenigenburg, the Hospice chaplain, social worker Jenna Good-Fantini and hospice nurse case manager Teri Reilly met with Administrator Carla Torres and told her about Peterson’s request. Broad Reach’s Hospice received donations from time to time, and this seemed like the perfect use for those funds. “We try very hard as a hospice team to get to know what’s important to our patients and families,” Torres said. “This was such an obvious opportunity to use that money to do something special for Mr. Peterson.” Good-Fantini cleared it with Peterson’s doctors, contacted Chatham Airport and made the arrangements, which was “more than easy” thanks to airport management. Last Thursday, on a warm, cloudless day, with friends, family and members of the Broad Reach Hospice staff watching, Kyle Takakjian, a pilot with Stick ‘N Rudder Aero Tours, took Peterson for a 30-minute flight in a Cessna 172, fulfilling the retired pilot’s wish. “It was wonderful,” Peterson, a Brewster resident, said after the flight, which took in the Outer Cape as far north as Wellfleet. “It was just fabulous,” said George Vermelyea, a friend of Peterson’s who accompanied him on the flight. At one point, Takakjian let Peterson take control of the craft. “He kept us flying straight and level,” Vermelyea said. Peterson flew S-2 aircraft while in the Navy and then spent 33 years working for United Airlines, flying all over the world, said his wife, Joann. Originally from Aurora, Ill., Peterson met his future wife while stationed at the Naval Air Station at Quonset Point, R.I. She grew up spending summers at a family cottage in Harwich. On one of their early dates, about 59 years ago, Mr. Peterson took her for a flight out of Chatham Airport; it was the only time he flew out of the airfield. “The essence of Gene is flying,” Joann Peterson said. During the summer, he often sat on the patio at Broad Reach and every time an airplane flew by would say “it’s such a beautiful day for flying,” she said. In early September she took him to the airport to watch the flights but there was little activity. But on the drive back to Broad Reach, he said “I would give my right arm to go up one more time,” she said. She praised the staff at Broad Reach as well as the folks at Chatham Airport. “We’re very fortunate,” she said. “He’s always talking about” flying, said Good-Fantini, who kept an eye on the weather to find the perfect day to schedule the flight. Flying “just brought him such joy.” “This was a little bit unusual,” compared to other requests Broad Reach Hospice tries to fulfill, Torres said. “But we thought it was doable. It means a lot to him. We’re glad to watch him enjoying it.” “It’s just great to be able to make these things happen,” added Good-Fantini. Watching from the sidelines were two friends of Peterson’s, Fred Love of Harwich Port and Roy Freeman of Brewster. Freeman knew Peterson through the Brewster Baptist Church, and said whenever he’d talk about flying, “he’d just come alive.” “He’s just a great guy,” added Love. As the Cessna touched down and taxied toward where the small group had gathered, Freeman added, “This is just so special.”

Liberty Commons Named Top Nursing Home by US News & World Report

Wed, 15 Nov 2017 13:47:00 GMT

Of the 15,000 nursing homes evaluated nationwide in 2018-2019 only 2,975 were included in US News’s top nursing homes. In Massachusetts 131 were considered one of US News’s best nursing homes. Broad Reach Liberty Commons is honored to be part of this select few of top-rated skilled nursing facilities.

All the nursing homes were rated in two different categories :

Broad Reach Liberty Commons was rated high performing in both categories, showing it is well deserved to be part of US News’s best nursing home 2018-2019.

US News also evaluated facilities overall nursing staffing and medical care quality measures: both long-stay and short-stay as well as rehabilitation measures. Broad Reach Liberty Commons measures in both Nursing Staff and Rehabilitation were rated in the “better than average” and “high performing” categories.

In some cases, Broad Reach Liberty Commons ranked better than State and US averages in short-stay quality measures. For example, the percentage of residents hospitalized or sent to the emergency department after being admitted to Broad Reach Liberty Commons are a few areas ranked better or lower than the State and US averages. All of which are indicated in the following chart.

An even deeper look at the US News ratings affirms that Broad Reach Liberty Commons has an excellent rehabilitation program for long-stay and short-stay residents. Broad Reach Liberty Commons ranked more efficient with 79. 5% of its patients in short-term stay improving their functional abilities while, only an average of 66.3% of patients improved in other facilities on Cape Cod.

“ While at Liberty Commons, we strive to provide our patients with the best possible rehabilitation services to insure a successful return to the community at a high level of function ” noted Chris Jones, MS, PT, DPT, CSCS, Director of Rehabilitation.

“ Combining this level of achievement with the noted efficiencies in the delivery of services does not happen by accident ”, adds Liberty Commons’ administrator, Nury Cronin. “ The way our team of clinicians, from nursing to therapy to social work and medical practitioners come together to work through challenges helps patients leap barriers, physical and otherwise, that would not usually be possible. ”

For more information about US News Best Nursing Homes 2018-2019 and ratings please visit : https://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes/area/ma/liberty-commons-225330