Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE — Grace Village Retirement Community is celebrating a significant achievement in senior care after its skilled nursing facility received the newly established High Performing Facility designation from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), placing it among a select group of nursing homes across Indiana.
Of the 507 certified nursing homes in Indiana, only 70 have received the new designation, representing approximately 13.8% of facilities statewide, according to a news release from Grace Village. Nationally, CMS estimates that approximately 12% of nursing homes will initially qualify for the recognition.
The designation comes as Grace Village continues to maintain its 5-Star Overall Rating on Medicare's Care Compare website, the highest overall rating available through CMS's Five-Star Quality Rating System.
The new CMS High Performing Facility designation, identified by a gold trophy icon on Medicare's Care Compare website, is part of the agency's Risk-Based Survey initiative launched nationally in September. The program recognizes nursing homes that demonstrate strong performance in resident safety, staffing and regulatory compliance.
To qualify, facilities must meet additional federal standards beyond their overall star rating, including qualifying staffing performance, accurate CMS data reporting, and no citations involving resident harm or substandard quality of care during the previous survey cycle.
For families throughout Warsaw, Winona Lake, and Kosciusko County, the recognition provides another important measure of confidence when making decisions about care for their loved ones, the news release states.
"Families place an enormous amount of trust in us when they choose Grace Village for someone they love," said Justin Kimbrell, chief executive officer of Grace Village. "This recognition reflects the hard work, compassion, and dedication of our entire team. To be recognized among such a small percentage of nursing homes is an incredible accomplishment, and I couldn't be prouder of our employees who make this possible every day."
For Jerod Williams, administrator of Grace Village, the recognition is especially meaningful because it reflects the commitment of the employees who provide care to residents each day.
"Providing exceptional care isn't something we focus on just when surveyors are in our building. It's a commitment we make every day to our residents and their families," said Williams. "Our nursing team and staff work incredibly hard to maintain these standards, and I'm proud that their dedication is being recognized. This achievement belongs to every employee who helps make Grace Village a place our community can trust."
As part of the new federal initiative, qualifying facilities are eligible for a more focused recertification survey process, reflecting their history of strong performance while maintaining federal oversight and resident safety protections.
While the recognition represents an important milestone for Grace Village, leadership emphasizes that the achievement belongs to the employees whose daily work makes these accomplishments possible.
As Grace Village continues serving seniors and families throughout northern Indiana, these recognitions reinforce its ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate care in a welcoming, faith-based community, the release states.
About Grace Village Retirement Community
Founded in 1974, Grace Village Retirement Community is a nonprofit, faith-based continuing care retirement community located in Winona Lake. Grace Village offers independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation services, providing a continuum of care to older adults in Warsaw, Winona Lake and the surrounding communities.
For more information, visit www.gracevillage.org.
