Accreditation With Exemplary Standing Awarded to Preferred Health Care Services

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 1, 2013) - Accreditation Canada announced this week that it had granted "Accredited with Exemplary Standing" to Preferred Health Care Services (PHCS), a division of Leisureworld Senior Care Corporation. The decision is the highest of four possible accreditation awards following a rigorous survey process conducted in 2012.

"Accreditation is one of the most effective ways for health services organizations to regularly and consistently examine and improve the quality of their services," says Tracy Jones, president of Preferred Health Care Services. "We are exceptionally proud of this recognition of our efforts and performance."

Accreditation Canada is an independent, not-for-profit organization that sets standards for quality and safety in health care and accredits health organizations in Canada and around the world.

Following a comprehensive self-assessment, external peer surveyors conducted an on-site survey during which they assessed leadership, governance, clinical programs and services against Accreditation Canada's requirements for quality and safety. These included national standards of excellence; required safety practices to reduce potential harm; and questionnaires to assess the work environment, patient safety culture, governance functioning and client experience.

Accreditation Canada commended PHCS for

• Its people and hiring practices that ensure highly motivated, skilled and committed people.
   
• The education programming offered to Personal Support Workers that results in highly-skilled PSWs.
   
• The dynamic ethics team and ethics hotline.
   
• The "Hush-No-Rush" program that ensures caregivers build a solid understanding of dementia and responsive behaviours. The digital video (DVD) education package developed by the education department was cited as an excellent tool.
   
• Communication plans and processes that were deemed exceptional.
   

"Within their exceptional focus on the quality of care, we were very impressed with the long-standing and on-going commitment that Preferred Health Care Services has demonstrated to the community. The home support community based program was created with a focus on the needs of the clients," said Wendy Nicklin, President and CEO, Accreditation Canada. "They did their homework and this was strongly evident during the survey visit."

Preferred Health Care Services has been a trusted partner in Canada for more than 25 years in home and personal care services, as well as health care staffing and education.

About Leisureworld

Leisureworld Senior Care Corporation is Canada's fifth largest operator of seniors' housing and the third largest licensed long-term care (LTC) provider in Ontario. Leisureworld owns and operates 27 LTC homes across Ontario with 4,474 beds. The Company also owns and operates six retirement residences and one independent living residence, representing 768 suites, in Ontario and British Columbia. Leisureworld subsidiaries include: Preferred Health Care Services, an accredited provider of professional nursing and personal support services; and Ontario Long Term Care, a provider of purchasing services, and dietary, social work, and other regulated health professional services. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.leisureworld.ca.