Receiving quality care does not always require moving into an expansive (or expensive) senior living community—sometimes it can be found in a small-scale solution, reports U.S. News.
Designed for only 10-12 seniors, Green House model nursing homes provide each occupant with a private room and bath, lifts to get residents in and out of bed, and care services provided by certified nursing assistants (CNAs).
However, since Green House units only provide living quarters for at most a dozen seniors, vacancy can become an obstacle in the face of a swelling aging population.
U.S. News reports:
While the houses are often more expensive to build per unit than larger nursing homes, Farrell says the staffing changes can make them economically competitive. Only about 20 percent of Green House living units are occupied by people who pay market-rate prices, he says. Most occupants are on Medicaid or other assistance programs.
Surveys have found that people are willing to pay more for Green House living units than for other types of assisted living. “It varies by state,” he explains. “But people would be willing to pay up to 20 percent more [for a Green House room] than they would pay in the market for a private room in a nursing home.”
AdvertisementDespite the appeal of the homes, they are dwarfed by the need. After all, even if all 150 homes built in the last decade held 12 members each, that’s a total capacity of only 1,800 people. More than five times this number are turning 65 every day, and the numbers of additional people needing assisted-living help every day dwarfs the small scale of Green House rooms built so far.
Considering that President Obama’s healthcare reform initiatives encourage care facilities that produce good health outcomes at the same time nursing homes are confronting looming modernization needs, U.S. News suggests Green House Project homes will become much more appealing to seniors than traditional nursing homes.
Written by Jason Oliva
