A More Personalized Residence Option

Smaller residences (not smaller as in a tiny home) provide more homelike care than nursing homes, according to a recent article in the New York Times. Small Residences for the Elderly Provide More Personal, Homelike Care explains the Green House homes where

Each home houses only 10 elderly people, and each person has a bedroom and bathroom. [The resident] has private space, is able to order breakfast when she wants it and enjoys home-style cooking, including some of her favorites….. Residents can gather around a fireplace in the common room, and [the resident] enjoys chatting with aides in the open kitchen.

As the article explains, a smaller size residence like this “is part of a complex of senior housing and care options, and privately owned care homes that are often unmarked in residential neighborhoods. They are usually newer, sometimes cheaper, and generally offer more customized care than most nursing homes.”  The article traces the history of the development of Green Houses and notes that they are not yet widely available in all parts of the country.  Quality is important: for a residence to be a Green House, “Green House homes are trademarked and built to strict certifications. Nurturing values and a more active life are encouraged. An aide, called shahbaz — a Persian word that means a royal falcon that oversees the kingdom — functions as a leader, not just a servant.”

The article also discusses other housing options that are smaller in scale than nursing homes and compares them to nursing homes.

Click here to read more about Green House projects.