Update: June 27, 2022 (AHCA/NCAL Press Release)

The American Health Care Association (AHCA) documentary, “Closed Doors, Open Hearts: Nursing Homes and COVID-19,” received a National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter (Capital) Emmy Award in the Documentary – Cultural/Topical category.

The documentary, which was up against three other nominees, features two nursing homes on opposite sides of the country and their struggles and perseverance at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the heroic caregivers who continued to serve through the most challenging times. It also provides a glimpse into what has really happened inside nursing homes since early 2020 and why it is so important to continue supporting these vital providers’ ongoing efforts to keep residents safe and healthy. 

The Capital Emmy Chapter is one of 19 regional chapters that make up The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. It is a non-profit, professional organization serving the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC television and media community. The organization’s foundation is The Emmy® Award, the TV industry’s gold-standard for the recognition of television excellence. 

“It is an honor merely to be nominated, but to win is truly special,” said AHCA President & CEO Mark Parkinson. “Nursing homes have been at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic since the very beginning, and these providers have gone above and beyond to protect this highly vulnerable population. Thank you for allowing us to share their important story and for recognizing the hard work and passion that went into making this film. It is dedicated to everyone in long term care – staff, residents, families, and those who support them.” 

The Capital Emmy is the next in a number of awards AHCA’s 26-minute film has received this year. It recently received Telly Awards in three categories: Gold recognition in Social Video/General Documentary, Silver recognition in the People’s Telly Award/General-Social Video, and Silver recognition in General Documentary – Individual. The Telly Awards are premier awards honoring video and television across all screens. The documentary was also recognized with a Silver Digital Health Award earlier this month.

Original post: November 19, 2021

A short documentary film produced this year by the American Health Care Association (AHCA), “Closed Doors, Open Hearts: Nursing Homes and COVID-19”, provides an intimate look at the daily reality of the pandemic at its onset at two long-term care facilities that worked tirelessly to keep residents and caregivers safe: Ararat Nursing Facility and Edgewood Centre in New Hampshire.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, nursing homes closed their doors to nearly everybody and faced harrowing battles that few outsiders saw or can comprehend. This film offers a glimpse of their untold story showing what it was like to provide nursing home care at the start of the pandemic. It highlights the struggles and tragedy of responding to the crisis, the isolation and resiliency of residents and their families, and the heroic efforts of caregivers, who, in the face of incredible obstacles and personal risk, continued to show up when residents needed them most.

“This documentary does an incredible job of showing what it was truly like in a skilled nursing facility at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mark Parkinson, AHCA President and CEO. “Residents and their families were physically separated from each other. Residents were isolated and more dependent on staff than ever before. And while facing innumerable obstacles, long-term care staff continued to make sacrifices – all to ensure those who needed them were cared for. That is what I call a true hero.”

While Ararat Nursing Facility and Edgewood Centre are different in many ways, they share many of the same experiences throughout the course of the pandemic. Their stories are not unique, however, but rather representative of the experiences of all nursing home providers across the country.

“Closed Doors, Open Hearts: Nursing Homes and COVID-19” is approximately 26 minutes long and can be viewed HERE.

​Disclaimer: Some of the content contained in this documentary may be emotionally traumatic to watch, especially for those in long-term care.

ABOUT AHCA/NCAL: The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represents more than 14,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers, and homes for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. By delivering solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to improve the lives of the millions of frail elderly and individuals with disabilities who receive long-term or post-acute care in our member facilities each day. For more information, please visit www.ahcancal.org or www.ncal.org.