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Golden Living Earns 30 Prestigious AHCA/NCAL Quality Awards in 2010

30 Golden LivingCenters have been selected by the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) as recipients of the AHCA/NCAL Bronze and Silver Quality Awards this year. To be selected for one of the independently judged awards, nursing homes must show an extraordinary ongoing commitment to quality care for their residents, as measured against specific criteria.

The AHCA/NCAL Quality Awards are designed to recognize quality achievement, while supporting improvement efforts in long-term care through the promotion of education and awareness. The awards are modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which is the nation's highest award for distinguished health care achievement.

Golden Living has earned 267 Quality Awards since AHCA began the program in 1996. In 2010, 20 Golden LivingCenters received a Bronze Quality Award and a record 10 LivingCenters earned the difficult-to-achieve Silver Quality Award.

"More than 70 percent of our current LivingCenters have earned a Quality Award, which is an astounding achievement and a real testament to our company's quality focus," said Neil Kurtz, M.D., President and CEO of Golden Living. "This proven record of quality, year after year -- truly sets us apart in the industry."

"Our caregivers are dedicated to providing the highest level of quality care possible to our patients," said Larry Deans, President of Golden LivingCenters.

To be selected by AHCA/NCAL as a Bronze Quality Award recipient, a nursing home must demonstrate an organization-wide commitment to a patient-centered mission, define its principal customers and their expectations, and indicate how it is striving to meet their needs.

Quality Award recipients at the Silver level must have demonstrated excellence in the core values and concepts of visionary leadership, focus on the future, resident-focused care, management that measures and analyzes performance, organizational and personal learning, valuing staff and partners, systems perspective and innovation, and focus on results and creating value. To be eligible for the more rigorous Silver designation, nursing homes must also have previously earned the AHCA/NCAL Bronze Quality Award.

"We applaud the leadership of Golden Living for demonstrating national distinction in their quest for performance excellence," said AHCA/NCAL President and CEO, Bruce Yarwood. "Golden Living is at the forefront of the quality movement and we applaud them for their efforts to incorporate processes that demonstrate enhanced quality

A ceremony honoring the recipients of this year's awards will be held at the AHCA/NCAL Annual Convention and Exposition, Oct. 10-13, 2010 in Long Beach, California.

About Golden Living (www.goldenliving.com)
Golden Living is one of the largest providers of healthcare services in the United States. Golden Living companies operate skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, and provide rehabilitation therapy, hospice care, home health services and healthcare staffing services. The Golden Living family of companies include Golden LivingCenters, Aegis Therapies, AseraCare Hospice and Home Health, and 360 Healthcare Staffing. There are more than 300 Golden LivingCenters in 21 states. Golden Living also offers assisted living services at more than 40 locations. In addition, the Golden Innovations companies partner with more than 1,000 nursing homes, hospitals and other health care organizations in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Collectively, the Golden Living family of companies has more than 40,000 employees who provide quality healthcare to more than 60,000 patients every day.

Golden Living 2009 Quality Award Recipients

Step II Recipients
Golden LivingCenter - Hagerstown                  Hagerstown          MD
Golden LivingCenter - Hillcreek                   Louisville          KY
Golden LivingCenter - Uniontown                   Uniontown           PA
Golden LivingCenter - Court Manor                 Ashland             WI
Golden LivingCenter - Linden                      Stillwater          MN
Golden LivingCenter - Pierre                      Pierre              SD
Golden LivingCenter - Prairie Hills               Rapid City          SD
Golden LivingCenter - Superior                    Superior            WI
Golden LivingCenter - Bayside of Poquoson         Poquoson            VA
Golden LivingCenter - Thomasville                 Thomasville         GA

Step I Recipients
Golden LivingCenter - Bloomington                 Bloomington         IN
Golden LivingCenter - Dexter                      Dexter              MO
Golden LivingCenter - Cohasset                    Cohasset            MA
Golden LivingCenter - Oak Hill                    Middleboro          MA
Golden LivingCenter - West Newton                 West Newton         MA
Golden LivingCenter - Doylestown                  Doylestown          PA
Golden LivingCenter - Summit                      Wilkes Barre        PA
Golden LivingCenter - Western Reserve             Kirtland            OH
Golden LivingCenter - Hopkins                     Hopkins             MN
Golden LivingCenter - Whitewater                  St. Charles         MN
Golden LivingCenter - Covington Heights           Sioux Falls         SD
Golden LivingCenter - Montgomery                  Montgomery          AL
Golden LivingCenter - Trussville                  Trussville          AL
Golden LivingCenter - Northside                   Atlanta             GA
Golden LivingCenter - Eupora                      Eupora              MS
Golden LivingCenter - Starmount                   Greensboro          NC
Golden LivingCenter - Greensboro                  Greensboro          NC
Golden LivingCenter - Martinsville                Martinsville        VA
Golden LivingCenter - Rose Hill                   Berryville          VA
Golden LivingCenter - The Cedars                  Charlottesville     VA