Windsor House to Build Centers in Niles, Canfield

GIRARD – Windsor House Inc. is developing plans to build a nursing home in Niles and construct a memory care assisted living and independent living community adjacent to its skilled nursing center in Canfield.

The two developments will provide a positive economic impact to the Mahoning Valley, creating more than 120 jobs, according to Dan Rowland, director of marketing.

When the late John and Dorothy Masternick founded Windsor House in 1959, their mission was to provide the best possible quality of life in long- term care. The company was launched at a time when the elderly were often “warehoused” in converted old homes, John Masternick often said. 

Windsor House now operates 12 skilled nursing homes and five assisted living communities in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

While celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2019, Windsor House experienced a 12% increase in admissions to its skilled nursing centers. This increase can be attributed to a commitment to quality, Rowland says. 

The company celebrated several deficiency-free surveys from the Ohio Department of Health in its skilled nursing and assisted living communities. They include O’Brien Memorial Health Care Center in Masury, Masternick Memorial and Windsor Estates Assisted Living in New Middletown and Liberty Arms Assisted Living in Liberty Township.  

In addition, Windsor House at Canfield, O’Brien Memorial Health Care Center and Masternick Memorial Health Care Center received five-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Windsor House increased its staff by 6% last year and, with 1,500 employees, is one of the region’s largest employers. 

To meet demand for health care workers, the company operates the Windsor Training Center in Liberty. The two-week program is taught by licensed nurses, and students gain clinical experience. The center certified 276 STNAs in 2019 and added evening classes to meet the growing demand for workers, Rowland says.

Events recognize employees based on years of service, including cash- prize drawings and “night on the town” trips with a limousine ride to a restaurant of the employee’s choice. A special dinner was held last year for 72 employees with 25 or more years of service. Three employees were awarded trips, each valued at $2,000.

As part of an initiative to promote brain gain, Rowland says Windsor House offers the John and Dorothy Masternick Scholarship Program. This program helps fund further education for those employees interested in becoming a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. 

A dedicated quality assurance team also trains and educates staff on a daily basis, Rowland says. Nursing homes are one of the most-regulated industries in the country, expected to comply with more than 200 rules and regulations, he notes.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.