The Green House project, a new model for long-term care, creates a nurturing environment where elders and the frail can thrive, according to an blog on The New York Times website.
The Green House project, co-founded by Dr. Thomas and Steve McAlilly of Mississippi Methodist Senior Services, has been adopted in 27 states, with four more on the way.
Green House residents, whose care is financed by Medicaid, Medicare or private funds, live in cottages with private rooms and private baths. They participate, when able, in food preparation and eat in a communal setting that is more like a home dining room than a cafeteria. Unlike the regimented meals in nursing homes, Green House residents are free to choose when to eat, the article said.
In the homelike atmosphere of the Green House it is commonplace for debilitated elders to come back to life.