Arbor Acres Retirement Community in Winston-Salem has been awarded CARF accreditation as a life plan community for the seventh consecutive five-year term, making it the only accredited life plan community in Forsyth County and one of only nine in North Carolina out of a total of 55. Of the approximately 2,000 life plan communities across the United States, only four percent have received CARF accreditation.
Arbor Acres earned its first CARF accreditation in 1993. The current term is effective through December 2028.
In issuing its accreditation, CARF noted that Arbor Acres demonstrated substantial conformance to CARF’s rigorous international high-quality performance standards to enhance the lives of its residents, staff and other stakeholders. CARF acknowledged that a strong, connected board of directors is leading strategic initiatives, such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). CARF also noted that residents are represented on the board and board task forces include expert resources from the local community who provide input on pertinent topics.
CARF highlighted Arbor Acres’ road map to performance improvement that allows leadership to measure successful completion of strategic goals as the community seeks to maintain a culture of excellence.
“We are gratified that CARF recognizes the commitment to excellence and best practices Arbor Acres works hard to achieve each and every day,” says Andrew Applegate, Arbor Acres president and CEO. “To be named the best of the best for more than 30 years is an honor that our community does not take for granted.”
Arbor Acres’ CARF reaccreditation process, which began in the summer of 2023, involved an intense self-evaluation that included staff, residents and their families, and the board of directors. Led by a team of evaluators from CARF, Arbor Acres then participated in a three-day on-site review process this past fall to verify the findings of the self-evaluation to assure compliance with CARF’s high accreditation conditions and standards.
