On any given day, the Salem Care Center administrator Jeremy Schumacher might be found analyzing insurance collections in his office, serving mashed potatoes in the kitchen, or answering call lights in resident rooms. This hands-on approach recently earned Schumacher recognition from the Missouri Health Care Association (MHCA), winning the District 7 award for “Administrator of the Year” Aug. 25 in Branson.
"I don't feel like I'm doing anything above and beyond," Schumacher said, on winning the award. "I just feel like this is what should be expected.”
As administrator, Schumacher is in charge of the operation of the facility as a whole, but he shared that you never know what you’re going to have to do until you walk through the door—it varies dramatically based off needs in the facility on a day-to-day basis. Before pursuing his administrator's license, for example, Schumacher made sure to obtain his CNA certification.
"I wanted to be able to do as much as I possibly could in the facility," he explained. "I didn't want to ever have to ask somebody to do something I wouldn’t be willing to do myself."
Salem Care Center has been operated under North Star Equity Group since February 2023. Schumacher, who previously worked at the facility under different ownership and returned at North Star's invitation, believes the center's smaller size helps facilitate better connections. He was more than happy to return when they reached out.
The smaller size of the facility helps make it feel more like home, said Schumacher.
"We have more one-on-one interaction with each of the residents. We get to know them better," he said. "It feels more like a community. If somebody's here for an extended period of time, they really do become your family. You know their whole life story."
These residents become friends to staff. Shumacher shared that one of the residents passed away just last year, but he and the resident had bonded over similar life experiences and career paths. The resident passing away was like a family member passing away.
Schumacher’s shared the secret to providing excellent care is tailoring each resident’s experience—some residents need more quality one-on-one interaction, while others want to be left alone. Really, it means treating each resident uniquely. And that personal approach doesn’t just apply to residents—it applies to Schumacher’s staff, too. The facility regularly hosts celebrations for employees and is currently organizing fundraisers to support a longtime employee.
"We don't just stop caring for you when you clock out," Schumacher noted. "You're part of our family for the entire time that you're here."
Another way the facility goes above and beyond is through its annual Christmas fundraiser, in which staff organize to raise money for extra Christmas gifts for residents, including angel trees or silent auctions. The turnout from resident families is always much appreciated, shared Schumacher.
Meanwhile, a major milestone came in June 2024 when Salem Care Center received Medicare certification—the first time since the building opened in the 1980s that it has been dual-certified for both Medicaid and Medicare. This certification allows the facility to offer therapy services and along with more nursing services that weren’t able to be offered prior.
Schumacher explained, "Someone can come in for a short period of time, have daily therapy services while they're here—physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy—for up to 100 days and get recovered, with intent to discharge back to home. They don’t have to be here as someone who’s going to live here permanently."
Not many folks have taken advantage of the program yet, but Schumacher hopes that word will get out and the community will partake in the service.
Additionally, Schumacher is working to improve the facility’s quality star rating—a metric used by Medicare and Medicaid that evaluates different factors, including infection rates, falls with injury, and residents' ability to maintain daily living skills. The metric is on a one to five scale, with reviews taking place every six months or so. Historically, the facility was at a three-star rating—since regulations have changed, along with Covid-19, the facility was dropped to a one-star.
"My goal is to bring us back to at least a three-star facility, and potentially higher," he said.
Perhaps most importantly, Schumacher wants the community to see Salem Care Center as more than just a healthcare facility. He encourages residents to visit, even without knowing someone who lives there—you don’t need an appointment. If you’re curious about what a nursing home is like, come and visit.
"Come in and say hi to somebody and see what it's like," he urged. "It's not the clinical place you see depicted in movies. It's a home for them, and you can see it as their home."
Under Schumacher's leadership, Salem Care Center continues evolving to meet the community's changing healthcare needs while maintaining the personal touch that makes it feel like home.
For more information about services of Salem Care Center, contact the facility directly at 573-729-6649 or visit at 1203 North Jackson Street. Keep up to date with the facility by following its Facebook page at http://facebook.com/p/Salem-Care-Center-100053118561904 or by searching for Salem Care Center.
Salem Care Center is hosting an auction for a dedicated staff member. Mary Enloe, employee close to 50 years, has developed health issues and will be out of work for six months. An auction will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, to help Enloe. Follow the Salem Care Center Facebook page to bid on items and to support a loving member of the community.
