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LAKELAND | Two Lakeland nursing centers — Highlands Lake Center and Manor at Carpenters — are among five in Florida that received the state's top Gold Seal Award on July 1.

The seals are valid for two years.

A third Lakeland center, Florida Presbyterian Homes, already had a seal valid through July 2014.

The three are among 24 nursing homes, among 681 licensed statewide, currently having the honor signifying excellence in long-term care.

Highlands Lake administrator Maya Perez was elated by the Gold Seal.

"This is our first," she said, adding that the South Lakeland center also advanced to Silver Achievement in Quality status with the National Quality Award program, which is presented by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living.

This is the third time the Manor at Carpenters has received Florida's Gold Seal, said Matthew Thompson, its administrator.

He said the staff is excited and thrilled with the award.

"By operating under the philosophy that our residents do not live where we work, but we work in their home, we have been able to create an environment where we provide superior quality of life and quality of care," he said.

Highlands Lake won its seal by fine tuning procedures and focusing on its residents, Perez said.

"We put people before paper," she said. "Everything we do is driven by our mission."

She said her facility wants residents to feel like they are in a home rather than an institution.

Go to www.floridahealthfinder.gov to check nursing home grades.