Throughout my career, I’ve been inspired by the mission statements of skilled nursing organizations: statements that speak to compassion, dignity, and excellence. Yet the true test of a facility’s mission is how it lives in the daily actions of the people who deliver care.

That’s why my recent experience as a “celebrity judge” at Journey Healthcare’s Skills Summits left such a lasting impression. Here was an organization not just declaring a mission, but living it authentically, joyfully, and with measurable impact.

Journey Healthcare is a newly formed skilled nursing home corporation across six states, uniting multiple skilled nursing facilities from several previous ownership groups. From the outset, their goal has been clear: “to consistently achieve exceptional quality outcomes by leading a world-class Care Team.”

In August, Journey’s 22 communities hosted Community Skills Fairs, providing education, documentation support and professional development — all defined and measurable — for Care Team members. These fairs ensured that every nurse and CNA across Journey operated from a shared foundation, a single standard of excellence rooted in the organization’s new culture rather than legacy policies.

From these fairs, each of the Journey communities selected a nurse and a CNA to represent their location, yielding 44 representatives in all. These champions went on to compete in two Skills Summits, one dedicated to nurses and another to CNAs, celebrating the knowledge, precision and compassion that define their daily work. And the champions were celebrated as well!

Standardizing excellence and celebrating growth

At the Skills Summits, each participant demonstrated five key competencies and was evaluated on three dimensions of performance by a panel of judges. The energy in the room was electric, filled with pride, camaraderie, and an unmistakable sense of belonging that went beyond the moment and showcased the broader goal of Journey’s mission.

As my Zimmet colleague Alicia Cantinieri shared, “I was honored to serve as a judge for Nurses’ Skills Day. The nurses’ skill, knowledge, and compassion shone through, and the Journey team’s genuine appreciation set a beautiful example of how to celebrate those who care for others every day.”

For me, an unforgettable moment of recognition was when all 22 CNAs were awarded nursing scholarships, a tangible expression of Journey’s belief in their potential and the organization’s deep investment in their professional future. This was a watershed moment for all the judges, along with the unsuspecting recipients.

Investing in the heart of care

Journey’s CEO Bernie McGuinness expressed it best: “We believe that by investing in our Care Team, we’re investing in the heart of our communities. These efforts aim to enrich their lives and, in turn, elevate the quality of care for our residents.”

Journey Healthcare isn’t just unifying facilities under one name: They’re unifying people under one purpose. By equipping, celebrating, and uplifting their Care Team, they are proving that culture change isn’t theoretical. It’s practical, personal and powerful.

A broader lesson for us all

I don’t expect every nursing home to adopt Journey’s exact mission statement. What matters is that your mission fits your culture, and that it includes everyone, especially the direct caregivers who bring that mission to life.

When you extend your vision of “the people you care for” to include your staff, engagement becomes something deeper than an initiative or a buzzword — it becomes a relationship, one built on mutual respect, growth, and shared purpose.

Indeed, the team at Journey is changing the world, one heart at a time.

Steven Littlehale is a gerontological clinical nurse specialist and chief innovation officer at Zimmet Healthcare Services Group.

The opinions expressed in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News guest submissions are the author’s and are not necessarily those of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News or its editors.