Last year, Dowagiac’s own nursing home and rehabilitation center earned itself national distinction for the quality of care its staff provides to residents.

The administration of The Timbers of Cass County continue to pursue the mission of providing the best level of service possible to the short and long-term patients that inhabit its 108-bed community.

An integral part of accomplishing this mission falls upon the shoulders of the Timbers nursing staff, which is now led by the recently hired Director of Nursing, Andrea Budzien. A veteran in the long-term care profession, Budzien has quickly adjusted into her new role in charge of the 34 healthcare specialists working inside the nursing home, she said.

“Customer satisfaction is our main priority,” Budzien said. “We try to provide the best level of care as possible for our residents.”

Last week, the administration helped welcome the new director to the rest of the community by hosting a reception ceremony inside the atrium of the facility, located on Colby Street. Several members of the local healthcare community showed up to introduce themselves, along with members of the Timbers advisory board.

A native of Pennsylvania, Budzien moved to the Northern Indiana area in 2000, serving as director of nursing at the Elkhart and South Bend Kindred Healthcare facilities. She also served as the regional nurse for two years, she said.

Nursing, in particular caring for the elderly, has been something Budzien has pursued since she was a child, she said.

“My grandparents were very active in the community,” she said. “They were the ones who introduced me to volunteering at the local nursing home.”

While her over 25-years experience in long-term care certainly made her standout amongst other candidates for the directorship, it was that drive to improve the lives of her patients that helped drive home her selection for the job, said Administrator Karen Schalte.

“She has a keen passion for the lives of our residents, and that came out during her interview,” Schalte said.

Opened in 2010, the Dowagiac nursing home, part of Atrium Centers family of facilities, received a bronze level recognition from the American Heath Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living last year for its work to prevent slipping accidents among its patients. The first of three tiers of service awarded by the national organization, the administrator hopes that, with Budzien’s leadership, the nursing department can help the silver level next.

“She has the passion, the knowledge and the skillset to help us be the best we can be,” Schalte said.