Ensure your loved ones are cared for this holiday season

This holiday season, families will gather to enjoy the festive spirit and reflect on the past year. These reflections also offer families a wonderful opportunity to have important conversations about next steps to ensure loved ones are safe and receiving the best possible care.

As National Family Caregivers Month comes to a close, we are reminded that families are the foundation of long-term care. The important conversations that will occur during this holiday season come from a place of love and a desire to ensure family members are cared for.

At the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), providing this care is central to our mission. The members of our association have a responsibility to ensure that Florida offers the best care opportunities for families to look after their loved ones. It’s a responsibility that we take seriously.

The compassionate work of Florida caregivers and long-term care professionals extends far beyond this month to our daily, year-round effort to ensure Florida remains the gold standard for high-quality care. We’re thankful that Florida’s Governor and state lawmakers have supported these efforts with the funding needed to advance this mission of quality improvements, which is what Florida’s families deserve.

Fortunately, our members’ dedication has translated into meaningful results for long-term care residents. The latest U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Nursing Homes” analysis ranked Florida among the nation’s leaders for highly-rated facilities, far outpacing much of the country.

FHCA’s Long Term Quality Dashboard tracks the current status of long-term care in the state, so families have important information when considering options for their loved ones. Florida’s nursing centers set a high bar for quality, rising above the national median in both registered nurse and total nurse staffing. Nearly 70% of centers hold CMS 4- and 5-Star Quality Measures Ratings, and 90% have earned at least one Quality Recognition — clear evidence of a strong statewide commitment to excellence.

The quality of care provided to both short- and long-stay residents is measured through a series of indicators, and Florida outperforms the nation on nearly all of them. More long-stay residents show improvements in daily functioning, while fewer experience falls, depression, urinary tract infections, or the use of antipsychotic medications. When our members and stakeholders unite around the shared goal of caring for Florida families, great things happen.

At the same time, contract labor continues to decline across the state, underscoring a strong commitment to high-quality, resident-centered care. With more permanent staff in place, caregivers can build meaningful, lasting relationships with residents, resulting in more individualized care, higher staff satisfaction, and better overall outcomes. These experiences also open the door to workforce development and career advancement opportunities, with FHCA supporting our professionals every step of the way.

Behind these statistics are teams of people, the full-time dedication of caregivers, and the guiding hand of families. Families’ involvement is crucial to Florida’s quality improvements and maintaining our status as the gold standard for long-term care.

As you gather over the holidays, I encourage you to use this time to check in with your loved ones and discuss the best path forward for those who may need more care. Thousands of dedicated professionals at FHCA’s member centers stand ready to help your loved one live with dignity, purpose, and as much independence as possible.

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Emmett Reed is the CEO of the FHCA, which represents 88% of Florida’s skilled nursing centers.