The Green House Project
News, Events & Updates
November/December 2020

IN THIS ISSUE:
>> New Research Calls for Legislation to Encourage Green House Homes as 'Industry Standard'

>> Final COVID-19 Nursing Home Best Practices ECHO on Thursday

>> Current and Upcoming Media Coverage

>> Green House Development & Consultation Packages Now Available

>> New Green House Homes Under Development in Tennessee

>> Latest Podcast Episode: Advocacy for People Living with Dementia

>> New Webinar Series Focuses on Social Connectedness with Launch date of Jan. 12

>> New Development Workshop Set for Feb. 4, 2021
Green House COVID-19 Research Brief Calls for State & Federal Legislation
Infections and deaths are significantly lower in Green House homes compared to traditional nursing homes among residents. This was the conclusion found in a new issue brief published by the Claude Pepper Center at Florida State University in October.

Authored by Lori Gonzalez, PhD, research faculty at Claude Pepper, the brief uses COVID-19 data from CMS to examine variation across nursing homes in infection rates and deaths among residents and staff with an eye toward how to reduce future outbreaks. It also examines differences in outcomes between traditional nursing homes and Green House homes.

According to the brief, CMS data and preliminary analyses "indicate that residents fared better in Green House homes, compared to traditional nursing homes (but not staff)."

The brief also includes recommendations for legislation at the federal and state levels, which "could be introduced to incentivize the development of additional Green House homes–even encouraging their construction as the industry standard–including higher Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements and lifting the moratorium on new nursing home construction (in states like Florida, for example) exclusively for Green House home construction. "
Vaccination Update Focus of Final ECHO Session on Dec. 17
With final approval from the FDA, COVID-19 vaccinations in nursing homes and other care settings have begun around the country. GHP's COVID-19 Best Practices in Nursing Homes ECHO, on Dec. 17 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, will provide an update on implementation and distribution of vaccinations in nursing homes with Jonathan Evans, MD, medical director, geriatrician and trained epidemiologist. 

In addition, this session will feature a review the ECHO's previous 11 sessions with GHP Director of Resource Development Marla DeVries, who will apply "process improvement" to the best practice approaches unveiled during the series. Allen Power, MD, and Jewish Home Family Director of Nursing Eric Riguerra, RN, and President & CEO Carol Silver Elliott, will discuss their takeaways and tie it all together.
Positive Press Continues to Draw Attention to Green House
Model & Mission
As the end of 2020 comes to a close, the Green House model continues to garner positive attention from media outlets across the country and around the world. Stay tuned to our emails for a notices about two major upcoming stories on Green House: CBS Sunday Morning will air a segment most likely in the next few weeks and National Public Radio's All Things Considered is expected to run a story next week!

Below is a sampling of the latest coverage.
Detroit Free Press
"The Green House Project has tracked COVID-19 cases and deaths among its residents monthly since the beginning of the pandemic. In October, it reported seven deaths and 43 cases of the virus among the 2,459 elders living in the homes that reported data. Some months, there have been no deaths or new cases."

ABC World News Tonight with David Muir
"Outside of the Katherine and Charles Hover Green Houses, a retirement community in Longmont, Colo., they have set up a tent with four millimeter plastic and arm holes so families can hug."

McKnight's Long-Term Care News
"Colorado-based nonprofit healthcare organization TRU Community Care teamed up with Hover Senior Living Community’s [Green House] skilled nursing facility to create a “hug tent” that allows visitors and residents to safely see and touch each other during the pandemic. 'It’s really good for the residents,” said Amanda Meier, a project coordinator for the organization. “I just wish everybody could find a way that they could not be so isolated, whatever it takes.'"

National Public Radio
"Well, one idea that's got a lot of currency now has been around for nearly 20 years. It's called the Green House Project. These are nursing homes with an emphasis on the home part of it. They're small, with maybe eight to 12 residents. That cuts down on infection spread. Everyone has a private room, which also helps control infection. And during the pandemic, Green House homes have been one-fifth as likely to have cases of COVID-19 as traditional nursing homes."

MacLean's
"When—and if—institutionalized care becomes necessary, there are alternatives to warehousing in large buildings. The innovative Green House Project, for example, provides individual “houses” where small groups of 10 to 12 seniors can support and care for each other, with professional assistance as necessary."
Non-traditional Nursing Homes Have Almost No Coronavirus

"The [Green House] model has been praised by academics and doctors and seems far better suited than traditional facilities to stave off the spread of infection and the isolation that has devastated the elderly in recent months."

Read more
www.washingtonpost.com
Green House Development Consultation Packages Now Available
The model's design and philosophy of care have been touted as exemplars for providers to consider in their efforts to ensure that the tragedy of COVID does not happen again to nursing home residents. As a result, GHP has received robust interest in the development of Green House homes.

In response, GHP created consultation packages that address all levels of readiness in the development process. Each of the three packages is designed to help prospective adopters through their development journeys with resources, tools, and guidance.
New Green House Home Breaks Ground in Tennessee

A new branch of the Jefferson Park skilled care facility in Dandridge, Tenn., is being planned for late 2021 to early 2022 on the Roy Messer Highway in White Pine.

Read more
www.citizentribune.com
The Power of Advocacy for People Living with Dementia
In this episode, Susan Ryan sits down with her good friend and fellow nurse, Anne Ellett, a certified nurse practitioner and founder of Memory Care Support, a company that provides private consultation to individual families seeking the best in care for their loved ones living with dementia.

Among other things, Anne and Susan discuss the significant role of advocacy in challenging stigmas and stereotypes that prevail and devalue older adults, especially those living with dementia. She talks about the need to confront and shift beliefs and perspectives in order to fully see and understand people living with dementia, as well as the importance of delivering individualized approaches that integrate and engage the person with real life.

Listen HERE on Apple
Listen HERE on Spotify
Listen HERE on Stitcher
2021 Webinar Series Focuses on Social Connectedness
As an unprecedented and exceedingly challenging year comes to a close, the Green House team has been hard at work creating content that matters to you, your teams, and the elders you serve.

Since the devastation of COVID has created extensive social isolation among elders, we have decided to offer a webinar series aimed at improving social connectedness. This highly topical issue will be explored through a six-part series, titled Building Social Connectedness in a Disconnected World. Following are the first two webinars titles along with links to register:

Elder Experiences Under COVID-19: Research & Recommendations

The Role of Design in Promoting Social Connections

Thank you to IN2L for sponsoring this series!
2021 Development Workshop Registration Opens
The first Green House Development Workshop of 2021 is scheduled for Feb. 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

This comprehensive event features leaders and strategic partners from GHP and the latest COVID-19 study data behind the explosion of media coverage of the Green House model. In addition, learn about key market and financial variables, architectural design components, construction insight, and operational testimony. Following are some additional topics to be covered:

  • Why the Green House skilled nursing model is made for this moment;

  • How Green House adopters have overcome barriers to achieve success; and 

  • What the Green House COVID-19 study says about the model and why its attracting major media attention.

Thank you to PMD Advisory Services for sponsoring this event!
The Green House Project