Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County, Willingboro, and Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, Camden, have each earned a Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) designation.

The designation recognizes Lourdes’ commitment to excellence in providing patient-centered care for older adult patients.

“Through our participation in the NICHE program, we offer evidence-based, interdisciplinary approaches that promote better outcomes, positive experiences and improved care for adults,” said Audrey Jadczak, chief nursing officer in Lourdes Health System. “This leads to greater satisfaction for patients, their families and staff.”

NICHE is the leading nurse driven program designed to help hospitals improve the care of older adults. NICHE seeks to provide principles and tools to stimulate a change in the culture of healthcare facilities to achieve patient-centered care for older adults.  Based in New  York University’s College of Nursing and comprised of more than 530 hospitals and healthcare facilities throughout North America, NICHE engages hospitals and their affiliates in achieving and sustaining the NICHE designation.

According to the Administration on Aging, the older population – persons age 65 years or older – numbered 41.4 million in 2011. They represented 13.3 percent of the U.S. population, more than one in every eight Americans. The number of older Americans increased by 6.3 million or 18 percent since 2000, compared to an increase of 9.4 percent for the under-65 population.

Jadczak said it’s critical that quality healthcare be provided for older adults.

“As the nation’s aging population continues to increase, managing health care quality is a key focus for all providers, especially here at Lourdes.”

For more information on NICHE, visit www.nicheprogram.org.