An Industry Ripe For Innovation

Categories: In The News, National Media Items

What design/architecture trend in senior living design do you think is right for the sector? Dillard: “‘Compartmentalization’” used to be a dirty word in senior living communities. Now, it literally saves lives. The kindest and gentlest template for compartmentalization is the small house or neighborhood concept, where subcommunities of 12-16 residents are gathered into neighborhoods, each with its own kitchen, living spaces, and back-of-house functions. The Green House Project has collected statistics that demonstrate dramatically better results in disease control inside communities built under these guidelines in contrast to the conventional models where more people share more spaces.

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  • “A small but growing group of nursing homes are already implementing these changes. Collectively called ‘household models,’ these nursing homes have generated enthusiasm among diverse stakeholders and long-term care experts. Because of its scale and consistency across homes, the Green House approach has been the most frequently studied household model.”

  • “Alternatives to traditional nursing homes for older adults who cannot remain in their own homes has prompted interest in smaller, community-style facilities such as the Green House model. Staff are used more flexibly in the Green House model, and work with small clusters of residents; the model’s success, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has attracted interest as an alternative to traditional nursing homes.

  • “The Center for Innovation and its Green House Project is promoting government incentives that support construction of modern, person-directed facilities through targeted grants or Medicaid rate increases. Providers in Arkansas and soon Ohio, for instance, receive Medicaid rate add-ons for private room nursing care.”

  • “Some suggestions included increasing state investment in home care, incentivizing a transition toward fewer-occupant rooms and Green House-style facilities, standardizing the Medicaid reimbursement system with data-based adjustments over time, increasing audits and financial transparency requirements for nursing homes, and building workforce pipelines into the sector through scholarships and more flexible training programs.”