March 2014

In This Issue
8 Green House Homes Receive Best Nursing Home Honor
Dr. Bill Thomas' Second Wind Tour Kickoff
First Green House Homes in Minnesota Set to Open in June
Convivium: Good Food and Good Company leads to Good Outcomes
Great Minds Gala at PEAK Leadership Summit
Highlighting THE GREEN HOUSE® Project Team: Scott Brown, Director of Marketing and Business Development
Caring Homes for Meaningful Lives

 

That research conducted with consumers of long term care about The Green House model provided overwhelmingly positive data:

97% of consumers feel very positive about the model,

68% feel that this would be a better option than home care,

60% would be willing to pay more for a Green House home.

Learn more about the research here.
 

Upcoming Events

  

LeadingAge PEAK

March 17-19 

 

THE GREEN HOUSE� Project Overview Webinar

March 18

 

THE GREEN HOUSE� Project Financial Webinar

March 25

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US News & World Report released a list of the Best Nursing Homes. Of 16,000 facilities evaluated, less than 25% earned a rating of five stars. Among those, 8 Green House Homes made the list!
  

Dr. Bill Thomas' Second Wind Tour kicks off in three weeks. As a sponsor, THE GREEN HOUSE� Project is busy getting ready to revolutionize the national conversation around nursing homes, by bringing attention to our person-centered model with an emphasis on each person living a meaningful life. We are taking this message on the road and hitting 25 cities along the way!

 

Inspired by Thomas' new book examining the baby boom generation's reluctant generational second coming of age-"Second Wind: Navigating the Passage to a Slower, Deeper and More Connected Life" (published by Simon and Schuster March 11 and named by Publisher's Weekly as a Top 10 Social Science book of 2014)-the Second Wind Tour will visit 25 cities on a national bus tour from March 31-June 6, 2014.


  

It's been a long winter, but that hasn't stopped construction crews in Mankato, Minnesota!  The assisted living Green House homes, called Water's Edge, are slated to be open within three months.

 

They are being developed and operated by Grace Senior Services.  The owners, Brad and Heather Bass, have been committed to serving Elders for many years.  In fact, they started their journey by opening an adult day service in their home 17 years ago.  They currently have several senior housing cooperatives, two assisted living communities, and an adult foster care program.

  
Mealtime is an important part of The Green House day. We even have a name for it, "convivium". This term describes good food, good company and good conversation. In every Green House home, there is an open kitchen where food is cooked in the home, and it is served around one large table to create a feeling of belonging. Smells of delicious food waft through the air, and the dining room table is filled with conversation as elders, staff members and visitors sit together and form an intentional community. This normalized environment creates not only a sense of well-being, but also has a positive clinical impact. Watch the below short video to hear what a dietitian from a Green House home says about her experience: 
At the Table: Dining and Nutrition in The Green House Model (2 mins 33 secs)
At the Table: Dining and Nutrition in The Green House Model (2 mins 33 secs)
According to a recent article in McKnight's Long Term Care News, "'Undernutrition' is the most common dietary problem related to dementia... This refers to insufficient intake of calories, protein or other nutrients. It affects up to 30% of residents in long-term care facilities..." The article goes on to talk about how improving the environment and increasing staff education can help to improve elder nutrition.  
 

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This year the Leading Age PEAK Leadership Summit will be held March 17-19 in Washington D.C. and THE GREEN HOUSE� Project is excited to send some of our team members to the event.  This summit aims to expand the world of possibilities for aging; a vision we support and work toward wholeheartedly. Not only will we engage with peers in the field by attending sessions and exhibiting at the summit but also through our sponsorship of the Great Minds Gala.

 

The Great Minds Gala is a fundraising event that will honor Leading Age members and other individuals in the field who have shown courage and leadership as they work tirelessly to improve the lives of those affected by Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.  One honoree at the event will be Glen Campbell, renowned country music singer and actor, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2011.

  

 

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Scott remembers visiting his grandmother in a traditional nursing home. He remem  bers the institutional environment, and how uncomfortable it was for him. He wondered how this could be the best place for his grandmother.


This experience played an important role in bringing Scott to THE GREEN HOUSE� Project.

 

"Green House homes are wonderful places for elders. In addition to being a place where elders can thrive, this model addresses the changes in healthcare that emphasize quality care and outcomes. And consumers are clamoring for a new and better model for elder care. The Green House model can be the solution for elder care providers trying to adapt to these trends. It can help them deliver high quality care in an environment that is nurturing, supportive and caring."

 

Scott joins THE GREEN HOUSE� Project as Director of Marketing and Business Development.

 

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Mary Hopfner-Thomas
Co-Editor
 
Rachel Scher McLean
Co-Editor

Tara Cugelman-McMahon
Co-Editor


THE GREEN HOUSE Newsletter
Published monthly to share information with providers, elders and others about THE GREEN HOUSE Project, a new and innovative approach to long-term, skilled nursing care. To learn more, visit www.thegreenhouseproject.org.
  

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