The A team: Valley care center earns top grade

What may be a challenge for some institutions has become the seal of excellence for Carson Valley Residential Care Center.

An April 9 inspection by the state's Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance garnered the Gardnerville Ranchos facility the highest grade possible, an 'A.'

"There were four of them (inspectors) with clipboards, and they just scattered," said the center's administrator Karen Perry. "We were on pins and needles the whole time, just waiting. But then the state surveyor called me personally and told me we were the recipient of an 'A' grade. I went dancing out of the office, and everybody celebratedwith high-fives."

The center, which is licensed for 84 beds, has been open since 1997. Perry described it as an assisted living community.

"It's different than a nursing home," she said. "It kind of saves people from a nursing home. It's more a social model, not a medical model. There are no nurses or feeding tubes."

Rather, what one finds entering the facility is a glittering chandelier, a bubbling fountain, a cozy parlor with a fire place.

"I like to say it's a cruise ship without ever leaving the dock," Perry said. "Typically, seniors prefer to stay in their homes forever. But they can become lonely or won't eat well or won't exercise right. Four months here and they gain weight, get off their medications and make friends."

Perry has been in the caring business for 30 years, and said the state inspections are relatively new.

"They've really raised the bar this year," she said. "If a living center doesn't maintain standards, it's closed down."

She said the success of her center can be attributed to two different groups: owners Walter Reiss and Jerry Jones, who she said constantly reinvest in and upgrade the facility; and her 52 part-time and full-time employees.

"The reason we got an 'A' is because of this team," she said. "There is very littler turnover here. When taking care of the elderly, you have to know what their needs are, their personalities, and my staff has the right attitude. They're compassionate, caring and kind people. They have such a team spirit, and we couldn't have accomplished this without that incredible spirit of collaboration."

Perry said the economy has affected the center's residency rates, but that the residents themselves keep things in perspective.

"They think what's going on right now is nothing," she said. "They went through the Great Depression. They're resilient people."

Unlike other industries, the people industry, as Perry put it, requires a different kind of work ethic, a willingness to positively interact with human beings on a daily basis.

"I'm honored to be in an industry where I feel I can make a difference in people's lives," she said. "Every day is an education. The elderly give you such a perspective on life. I view them as my extended family: 84 grandparents."

And even though she's proud of the state's recognition, Perry said there's really only one group whose approval matters at the end of the day.

"If the residents are happy here, then that's my 'A'," she said.