Forbes Features Leonard Florence Center for Living
Nursing Homes Can Provide Quality, Creative Care. Here’s One
By Howard Gleckman
[Photo by Stan Grossfeld of Patrick O’Brien]
The nursing home business is tough. Few want to live in them. It is hard to make money running a good one. Government regulations make creative care a huge challenge. And they have a reputation, too often deserved, of being unpleasant and even dangerous places to live and work.
Yet, I sometimes come across a skilled nursing facility that trashes all the stereotypes. It shows what a nursing home can become with a committed and skilled staff, good organization, and passionate and creative leadership.
I recently visited one such place, the Leonard Florence Center for Living in the blue-collar Boston suburb of Chelsea. It struggles with insufficient Medicaid reimbursement, but the care and dignity it provides its residents are extraordinary. It has created a sense of personal autonomy among staff and residents that makes it possible for extremely ill people to live their best possible lives.
