Advocate Healthcare of East Boston, formerly the Don Orione Home, is under new management. Administrator Ryan Gaughan, of Winthrop, began working at the Orient Heights nursing home and rehabilitation facility on October 1, 2022; and he hopes to create quality care and a welcoming atmosphere for the community. “I believe in good care,” expressed Gaughan, who served in the United States Coast Guard for four years. “Treating families with respect, welcoming them, and being transparent with them is key to running a successful building.” The 100,000-square-foot structure was constructed in 1954; and Gaughan recognizes that improvements must be made to provide a more comfortable and functional space for residents and their families. “It’s an old building, but it has charm and history,” admitted Gaughan. “My goal is to make the building the top nursing home in the area.” Advocate Healthcare is in the planning stages of major renovations. Architects and contractors are being consulted to improve and upgrade the building. A physical therapy gym is proposed to be built in what had been a recreation area, with an expansive deck overlooking the airport runway, and the Madonna Queen of the Universe National Shrine. The space will include an occupational therapy area to help develop residents’ abilities to live more independently. “We’re looking at putting it on the fourth floor, which is stunning. It’s one of the best views around,” said Gaughan. “It’s going to be great. I’m excited.” Advocate Healthcare is also arranging to renovate the 134 units that house long-term and short-term residents. “We have so much space that we have an opportunity to upgrade the building with little disruption to our residents,” said Gaughan. In the nearly six months that Gaughan has been employed at Advocate Healthcare, the facility has increased from measuring a two star quality rating to achieving three out of five stars, as evaluated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a government organization that regulates guidelines for the Department of Health and Human Services. “My goal is to be a five star building,” Gaughan declared. According to Gaughan, nurse staffing was low during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many nursing homes relied heavily on contracting agencies to fill positions. Although staffing has increased at Advocate Healthcare, the facility is hiring quality nurses and certified nurse assistants. “We use very little agency staff here. There is an adjustment period. Cutting down on agencies is important to providing consistent care,” explained Gaughan. “We want to make sure our staff is familiar and get to know the residents to provide the best care possible.” Advocate Healthcare offers individualized care for patients, and is staffed by licensed professionals, including a specialized wound doctor, and 24-hour nurse management. “Staffing for a lot of buildings has been a challenge; and in the past, it has been here,” Gaughan acknowledged. “Now we are in a good place for staffing. We have in-house nurses who have been here a long time. They’re experienced and know the residents and systems. That’s comforting.” Advocate Healthcare provides short-term and long-term services. The first floor cares for patients in rehabilitation, the second floor houses long-term residents, and the third floor is a more secure dementia unit. Rooms are shared, but there are also private units available. There are currently vacancies; but Gaughan shared that units are filling quickly. “Our nurse managers care about the patients and know families well,” Gaughan asserted. “We offer that personal touch.” Learn more about Advocate Healthcare of East Boston, located at 111 Orient Avenue, East Boston, by calling (617) 569-2100, or visiting www.AdvocateHealthcareEastBoston.com.