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Study Shows Green House Project Favored by Staff, Families, Residents

Mon, 11/08/2004 - 1:00am — Karen Stevenson
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PRESS RELEASE

Early Study of Green House Project Shows

STAFF, FAMILY AND RESIDENTS FAVOR
NEW TYPE OF LONG TERM CARE

WASHINGTON, DC '“ Preliminary findings from a study of a revolutionary new type of residential long-term show that, in comparison to traditional nursing homes, residents and family members are highly satisfied, and workers want to stay and work there.

The findings were announced today at two Capitol Hill briefings entitled 'œRe-Inventing Long-Term Care: The Green House Project ®.'

Green Houses are small group homes that use a social and habilitative model of care and maximum staff empowerment to serve elders needing skilled nursing care. The first four Green Houses in the nation have been housing elders since May 2004 in Tupelo, Mississippi. Conceived as part of a movement to change the culture of long-term care in America, they are designed to feel more like home than today's typical nursing home and to blend easily into their community or surroundings.

Rosalie A. Kane, professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health who could not attend the briefings, but is leading the study comparing existing Green Houses in Tupelo Mississippi with a control group of two other traditional nursing homes said, 'œAnalyses are still underway, but thus far all outcomes with statistically significant differences favor Green House over the other two locations. Open-ended comments that we elicited during each interview also report many positive reactions to living and working in the Green House.' More detailed findings were presented at the briefings by Lois Cutler, Ph.D. and Howard B. Degenholtz. Ph.D.and are available on the project'™s Web site.

At the briefing, Project Founder Dr. William Thomas said, 'œAmerica has a choice. Nursing homes or Green Houses. With the nation'™s nursing home stock deteriorating and the baby boom generation aging rapidly, we have to either rehabilitate or build many new traditional institutions or replace them with an alternative that deinstitutionalizes the frail elderly and truly celebrates elderhood.'

Referring to his own observations about life at the Green Houses in Tupelo, Stephen L. McAlilly, President & CEO of Mississippi Methodist Senior Services, Inc. said, 'œ It is amazing what happens when you let people go back home and value them for who they are.' He reported that residents are walking and gaining weight, the use of psychotropic drugs is down, family visits are more prevalent and there are no complaints. 'œThe staff have become amazing people,' he added.
'ÂœTurnover and absenteeism are almost non-existent."

According to Project Director Jude Rabig there are several other Green House Projects under development nationwide including: Pinecrest Medical Care Facility, Powers, MI; Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, Redford; Tabitha Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Lincoln, NE; Calvary Baptist, Columbus, GA; Florida Housing Corp., Belgrade, FL; and Penick Village, Southern Pines, NC

'œThe findings are no surprise,' Rabig noted. 'œGreen Houses are a radical departure from traditional skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities. We alter facility size, interior design, staffing patterns, and methods of delivering skilled professional services. They are places that focus on life, and at their heart is the relationships that flourish there.'

A two-year grant from The Commonwealth Fund is sponsoring the Institute for Health Services Research and Policy team at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health to do the Green House Project feasibility study. The planning and training for the current projects is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

For other materials such as a handout on the preliminary findings, a Green House fact sheet, remarks from the briefings and biographies, please visit http://thegreenhouseproject.com and click on 'œnews.' A briefing transcript will also be made available on the site.

Contact: Scott Parkin,
(703) 975-2007
sparkin@agecomm.com

PRESS RELEASE

Early Study of Green House Project Shows

STAFF, FAMILY AND RESIDENTS FAVOR
NEW TYPE OF LONG TERM CARE

WASHINGTON, DC '“ Preliminary findings from a study of a revolutionary new type of residential long-term show that, in comparison to traditional nursing homes, residents and family members are highly satisfied, and workers want to stay and work there.

The findings were announced today at two Capitol Hill briefings entitled 'œRe-Inventing Long-Term Care: The Green House Project ®.'

Green Houses are small group homes that use a social and habilitative model of care and maximum staff empowerment to serve elders needing skilled nursing care. The first four Green Houses in the nation have been housing elders since May 2004 in Tupelo, Mississippi. Conceived as part of a movement to change the culture of long-term care in America, they are designed to feel more like home than today's typical nursing home and to blend easily into their community or surroundings.

Rosalie A. Kane, professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health who could not attend the briefings, but is leading the study comparing existing Green Houses in Tupelo Mississippi with a control group of two other traditional nursing homes said, 'œAnalyses are still underway, but thus far all outcomes with statistically significant differences favor Green House over the other two locations. Open-ended comments that we elicited during each interview also report many positive reactions to living and working in the Green House.' More detailed findings were presented at the briefings by Lois Cutler, Ph.D. and Howard B. Degenholtz. Ph.D.and are available on the project'™s Web site.

At the briefing, Project Founder Dr. William Thomas said, 'œAmerica has a choice. Nursing homes or Green Houses. With the nation'™s nursing home stock deteriorating and the baby boom generation aging rapidly, we have to either rehabilitate or build many new traditional institutions or replace them with an alternative that deinstitutionalizes the frail elderly and truly celebrates elderhood.'

Referring to his own observations about life at the Green Houses in Tupelo, Stephen L. McAlilly, President & CEO of Mississippi Methodist Senior Services, Inc. said, 'œ It is amazing what happens when you let people go back home and value them for who they are.' He reported that residents are walking and gaining weight, the use of psychotropic drugs is down, family visits are more prevalent and there are no complaints. 'œThe staff have become amazing people,' he added.
'ÂœTurnover and absenteeism are almost non-existent."

According to Project Director Jude Rabig there are several other Green House Projects under development nationwide including: Pinecrest Medical Care Facility, Powers, MI; Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, Redford; Tabitha Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Lincoln, NE; Calvary Baptist, Columbus, GA; Florida Housing Corp., Belgrade, FL; and Penick Village, Southern Pines, NC

'œThe findings are no surprise,' Rabig noted. 'œGreen Houses are a radical departure from traditional skilled nursing homes and assisted living facilities. We alter facility size, interior design, staffing patterns, and methods of delivering skilled professional services. They are places that focus on life, and at their heart is the relationships that flourish there.'

A two-year grant from The Commonwealth Fund is sponsoring the Institute for Health Services Research and Policy team at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health to do the Green House Project feasibility study. The planning and training for the current projects is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

For other materials such as a handout on the preliminary findings, a Green House fact sheet, remarks from the briefings and biographies, please visit http://thegreenhouseproject.com and click on 'œnews.' A briefing transcript will also be made available on the site.

Contact: Scott Parkin,
(703) 975-2007
sparkin@agecomm.com

Link: 
The Greenhouse Project Web Site -
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