By Healthcare Facilities Today

Recent data show that knee replacement surgeries have doubled in the past 10 years and more than tripled among Americans aged 45 to 64 years. The projected volume of hip surgeries and other joint procedures also is rising. Short-term rehabilitation facilities must be prepared not only for more patients, but also for this new kind of patient, according to an article on the Long-Term Living magazine website.

The average Baby Boomer rehab patient is markedly different from the average rehab patient of 10 or 20 years ago, the article said. This new patient is more likely to  be a more active participant in his or her care. The Boomer also expects to remain active, stimulated and social during recovery.

Given this significant shift in their consumer base, nursing homes are rethinking their approach to short-term rehab. 

The Green House Project has developed a new model for delivering nursing care in skilled nursing facilities across the country, according to the article, Each Green House home is designed to look and feel like a real home. In each home, 10 to 12 seniors live in private rooms with bathrooms, and they set their own daily routines. Clinical care is provided by a team of versatile caregivers, all for the same labor cost of running a traditional nursing home, according to the article.

While traditional nursing homes have specific rooms and equipment for use by rehab patients, Green House homes don’t need any — because the approach is holistic. Every feature of a Green House home—the layout, the open kitchen, the private bathroom—resembles what residents will find in their own homes after they recover. So, every move made in a Green House home is practice for the return home.

Read the article.