Beacon TLC Health Center is a 143-bed skilled nursing facility located in Chicago, IL. Administrator Arleen Batorek has been in her role at Beacon a little over a year, bringing 37 years of experience in long-term care.
Working With Telligen
When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, Batorek, like many other nursing home administrators, didn’t know what to do or who to call. She praises Telligen for being there with resources and hands-on support during a challenging time. “There is no criticism – just support and ideas,” said Batorek. Telligen’s onsite facility assessment provided Beacon TLC Health Center with an outside perspective that Batorek said was much needed. “You take the knowledge from others to make things better – you don’t take it personally.”
Batorek feels the insight from Telligen’s quality improvement experts is invaluable and an asset to Beacon. She has worked with Senior Quality Improvement Facilitator Nell Griffin for many years, and they value each other’s expertise.
“In this business – there is something new to learn and grasp every day. If you have the mentality of knowing it all, you’ll never succeed.”
Blue Ribbon Recognition
Beacon TLC Health Center is a proud four-time recipient of the Blue Ribbon in COVID-19 Vigilance award and has taken steps to be considered for another Telligen award, B.E.S.T. in Class. A large focus of the Blue Ribbon award is up-to-date vaccination rates for staff and residents to ensure nursing homes are striving to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Vaccine hesitancy can be a factor for both residents and staff, and Batorek worked through this by having one-on-one conversations to hear the “why” behind each individual’s choice. By sitting down to listen, addressing concerns and connecting individuals to sources for answers, Beacon TLC Health Center was able to achieve higher vaccination rates.
“We can bring in infection to our residents, and our job is to protect them. Vaccines are our biggest ally.”
Beacon Culture
When reflecting on what inspires her to work in long-term care, Batorek says that the sense of accomplishment you feel each day is amazing. “Of course there are long days, but you can feel good about improving the lives of others.” She maintains a sense of humor with both residents and staff and feels passionate about making the day-to-day work at Beacon fun.
Batorek emphasizes how much the residents mean to her. She encourages staff members to treat residents as if they are their parent, sibling or close friend. When she began to consider nursing home care for her own dad, she knew Beacon would be the right fit because she is proud of her team’s work and the care they provide. Batorek and her team strive to focus on customer service. Beacon TLC Health Center prioritizes creating a welcoming environment and getting to know residents and their families. “The biggest thing at Beacon is listening – listening to residents, listening to our residents’ family members and listening to staff.” She feels that if staff and residents are not on the same page, success is not possible. “Listen to those around you and you can accomplish a lot – the sky is the limit.”
Batorek is quick to praise her staff and is grateful for what she has learned from team members over the years. “That’s what I love about this line of work – you meet different people along the way all the time.” She praises the expert skills of Beacon TLC Health Center’s CNAs and nursing staff and is amazed by how effortless they make patient care look. “I try to get involved in all aspects of the building, as do the rest of my staff. We really appreciate what each staff member does here.”
“When our staff say, ‘I am Beacon,’ they mean it. They plant roots here.”
She encourages others in her position to lean on staff and create a team atmosphere to best serve the residents. “You know the saying, ‘you can’t save the world on your own’? As an administrator, you cannot do it by yourself. My staff – whether in nursing, dietary or any other area – have invested themselves in our resident care. You can feel the vibe in the building when you walk in.”
Visit Telligen’s Vax Hub for on-demand tools, resources about vaccine hesitancy and learning modules related to influenza (flu), pneumonia, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines.