AHCA/NCAL Honors Long Term Care Providers 

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Washington, DC

– The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) today proudly announced this year’s Joe Warner Patient Advocacy Award winners: Angelo Rotella of Rhode Island, Dion Sena of Florida, and Sally and Roland Rapp of California.

AHCA/NCAL bestows this prestigious award on association members who have worked directly to educate Members of Congress about the needs of long term care patients and residents, and to advance quality long term care. The annual award recognizes caregivers who possess the same compassion for, and commitment to, our nation’s frail elderly and those with disabilities that exemplified the work of former president and CEO of Illinois-based Heritage Enterprises, Joe Warner.

This year’s honorees are outstanding individuals and community leaders. Angelo Rotella, who has more than 20 years of experience as a long term care provider, is president and administrator of two skilled nursing facilities in Rhode Island. Dion Sena, a second generation provider, is the owner and operator of Southlake Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Jacksonville, Florida. Sally and Roland Rapp, a married couple from California, are dedicated to their individual roles at the Skilled Health Care Group, which operates nursing facilities, assisted living residences, hospices and rehabilitation therapy in seven states. Sally, a licensed nursing home administrator, oversees the company’s nursing facilities, and Roland serves as both General Counsel, Executive Vice President, and Chief Administrative Officer of Skilled Health Care Group.

“The AHCA/NCAL members we honor with the Joe Warner Patient Advocacy Award are reaching well beyond their daily responsibilities. Each has worked tirelessly to advance quality long term care, and continues to take an active role in advocating for those we serve,” remarked AHCA Chair Robert Van Dyk. “As providers, we know that families are entrusting the care of their loved ones to us. These extraordinary individuals – like our former colleague and friend, Joe Warner – are deserving of that trust as they care so passionately about the people they serve,” concluded Van Dyk.

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The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) represent nearly 11,000 non-profit and proprietary facilities dedicated to continuous improvement in the delivery of professional and compassionate care provided daily by millions of caring employees to 1.5 million of our nation's frail, elderly and disabled citizens who live in nursing facilities, assisted living residences, subacute centers and homes for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. For more information, please visitwww.ahca.org orwww.ncal.org

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