Monday, July 28, 2008

Witnesses At Senate Aging Committee Hearing Call For 'Person-Centered' Care For Elderly

Witnesses on Wednesday at a Senate Committee on Aging hearing on efforts to improve care for the elderly cited the need for a focus on "person-centered" models, CQ HealthBeat reports. During the hearing, Robert Jenkens, director of the Green House Project,
discussed the "Green House model," which he said "reinvents nursing
homes to make them real homes" through a combination of "small houses
with the full range of personal care and clinical services needed by
elders typically served in skilled nursing facilities."

Most
Green House homes have 10 elderly residents and include private and
community areas, Jenkens said, adding, "The design creates a
therapeutic environment, encouraging self-reliance through short
distances and a safe environment for elders." The Green House Project
is a not-for-profit that relies on funds from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
and Medicaid reimbursement. Jenkens asked the committee to accelerate
federal reviews of proposed revisions to state Medicaid programs that
would promote the establishment of Green House homes.

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