Restorium earns Silver Award
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| Community Restorium administrator Karlene Magee (left) and assistant administrator Jeri Witt proudly display the recently earned Silver Star award. |
Not long after they began, another inspector, this one from the Idaho State Fire Marshal's Office, showed up, likewise unannounced.
"That was a hectic day!" said assistant administrator Jeri Witt without a trace of irony.
The fire marshal's inspection went fairly quickly and the Restorium passed with flying colors. But inspectors from the Bureau of Facility Standards stayed two more days, poking into nooks and crannies, talking to Restorium residents, examining records.
When that ordeal was finally over, Restorium administrator Karlene Magee breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she and her staff had passed, but not yet knowing just how well.
"It was a very thorough inspection," she said, "and if they find any major problems, you have to fix it on the spot. They didn't find any, just a couple of small things that we were able to take care of easily."
A few weeks later, an Idaho Health and Welfare official returned, not to do any follow up, but to present Karlene and the Restorium staff with a rare feat of excellence, their Silver Award certificate of recognition for doing so well.
"These are pretty rare," Karlene said. "To earn one, a facility that undergoes this inspection can only get three or fewer citations. The average number found is 15, sometimes as many as 30 or more. And they look at everything, patient records, medical records, cleanliness, food service. They talk to several of the residents to make sure they're being treated well and to see if they have any complaints. Because it's unannounced, you can't prepare ... you just have to be ready all the time. We were praised on our cleanliness, and there were no complaints from residents."
The Community Restorium received two citations, both, as mentioned, minor and easily fixed. Still, Karlene had to fill out the reports, documenting the correction and assuring, to the state's satisfaction, that steps had been implemented to prevent recurrence of the problem.
Much of the credit, assistant administrator Jeri Witt said, lie in Karlene's diligence in keeping up to date on ever changing rules and implementing programs and policies so that the Community Restorium is in constant compliance.
Karlene credited the accomplishment as the result of everybody; administration, staff and the Restorium Board, working together as a team to ensure that those they are there to serve, the Restorium residents, receive only their very best.
She takes it a step further, too, praising the 500-plus members of the Friends of the Restorium, who, she said, work hard and do so much to keep the facility in top shape.
"We couldn't do it without them," she said. "We are grateful for everything they do. We're all very proud of this award."
To find out how you can be part of the Friends of the Restorium, visit http://www.boundarycountyid.org/friendsoftherestorium/index.htm.