When Bobby Meadows describes the Memphis Jewish Home and Rehab Center as a great place he is proud to serve, he’s sharing the insight of a man who has seen life from several distinct perspectives: as a child whose father and grandfather worked in West Virginia coal mines, as a student who worked his way through college as a black-hat (underground) coal miner himself, as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) with a genuine passion to care for seniors such as those he had been raised to love and respect, and as a leader with more than 12 years of experience as executive director of successful nursing homes and rehab centers.
“I was born near the coal fields, where we didn’t have access to a lot of healthcare facilities — particularly nursing homes,” he said. “People took care of each other at home. My mother was always a provider for others, and she instilled in us a love for our elders and seniors — and a desire to care for them that guided me into the industry. I started my career as a certified nursing assistant at a nursing home, and being involved in patient care is still one of the most important parts of my job.”
Meadows personally meets with all new hires that join MJH's 300-member staff and shares with them his firm conviction: “If you don’t love seniors, then please consider this your last day!”
He credits his father and grandfather for the work ethic that drives him and helped forge a management style that stresses leading by example. “I would never ask a staff member to do anything I wouldn’t do," he said. "I still enjoy getting out on the floor and taking care of patients."
After attending Marshall University, Meadows earned a business degree in healthcare management from the University of Alabama before achieving a chain of successes managing several sizable nursing home facilities, maintaining each with 98-99 percent occupancy and 95 percent patient-family satisfaction ratings.
Proud of where he comes from, and proud of where he is, Meadows was drawn by the deep roots and history of faith, plus the integrity and quality of care associated with the Memphis Jewish Home for nearly 90 years.
“To be associated with the Memphis Jewish Home is an honor for me — the greatest accomplishment of my career,” he said.
One unusual challenge he faces, however, is the cost of kosher food. MJH has one of only two kosher restaurants in the Memphis area and serves close to 200 visitors each day from the second-largest kitchen in West Tennessee, Meadows says. Because kosher-certified chefs are rare, the kitchen also provides catered meals for hotels and other places that are not kosher.
“So we have a little hidden treasure here,” Meadows states. “One that even a lot of the Jewish community aren’t aware of.”
The Home, which accepts all faiths, has a patient population that is 30 percent Jewish. It brings religious services to those unable to attend them because of their health and in reconnecting to their faith, many patients find their identity . . . and inner peace.
Even given its traditional excellence, the facility offered Meadows initial challenges: inefficient admissions systems and a consequentially reduced census, declining business performance and low staff morale. Thanks in part to recent renovations and “a huge operational turnaround” during his nearly two-year tenure, the Home has increased its current patient census and gained recognition, awards and titles for both the nursing home and therapy aspects of the facility.
Meadows says the current population today is 157. (Capacity is 160
It is now one of Memphis’ "Top 50 Workplaces" (per The Commercial Appeal), "Memphis’ Best Nursing Home" (per Memphis Business Journal), one of the country’s best nursing homes (according to U.S. News &World Report), and ranks in the top five of Memphis Business Journal's physical rehabilitation units. It has also earned a coveted across-the-board 5-star rating from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
What’s his secret?
“I’ve always felt that some of the secret to success is making yourself available,” Meadows said. “The patients we serve didn’t get to choose me; I chose to do this. So I make myself available to them 24-7. I talk to every patient here and give them and their families my personal cell phone number.”
Not content to be one of the top five therapy providers, Meadows is firmly focused on becoming number one. MJH has one of the largest therapy gyms in the city and one of the highest staff-to-patient ratios; he plans to build upon that by growing the therapy programs, focusing on more patient-centered care and restoring each patient to enjoyment of the activities he or she loves most.
“We want to be the innovative leader of both short-term and long-term care,” he declared. “I want us to be the first choice for everyone’s therapy or nursing home care because we’re the best.”
In today’s healthcare environment, that’s admittedly a tall order. “As a skilled nursing facility, we’re one of the most regulated industries in the country — far more so than hospitals,” he said. “This is a very difficult time, with continued cuts in reimbursement from both Medicare and Medicaid for our senior care. I recently saw a report that claimed that by 2025, nursing homes may be nonexistent. Whether it’s true or not, you have to be concerned.”
In his leisure hours, Meadows enjoys family time with his wife and three daughters ages 5, 9 and 11 — who bike and run together, support Alabama football and bring joy to patients by involving themselves in MJH activities.
