The Green House is a group home for elders
built to a residential scale that situates necessary clinical
care within a habilitative, social model in which primacy is given
to the elder's quality of life. The Green House Project was developed
by and has drawn its philosophical foundation from the work of
William Thomas, MD.
The model redesigns how care is delivered to
elders. The Green House meets typical regulatory requirements
for adult homes, skilled nursing, and assisted living. The goal
of the model is to provide the frail elder with an environment
that promotes autonomy, dignity, privacy and choice.
This model of care includes changes in:
Facility size and design
Interior design
Staffing patterns
Job descriptions
Patterns of clinical care delivery
The Green House is:
A warm, sacred place, filled with meaning to
the elders living in the home
Where elderhood and those who assist elders are honored and
respected
Full of life, not death. Full of celebration, ceremony, tradition
and ritual
Where the decisions are made by the elders, or as close to the
elders as possible
Welcoming to families, children and community members, who come
to the Home to participate in the growth of those who live and
work here.
Green House Goals
The goal of the Green House and its participants
is to enhance elder's quality of life by:
Providing privacy
Recognizing and valuing individuality
Honoring autonomy and personal choice
Fostering spiritual well-being
Creating a sense of safety, security, and order
Facilitating physical comfort
Fostering enjoyment
Providing meaningful activities
Offering opportunities for reciprocal relationships
Promoting functional competence
Conveying the importance of an individuals dignity
Improving job satisfaction for staff
Providing safe and effective clinical care to
meet individual needs