Green House for assisted living first of its kind in state
Posted on Friday, November 30, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/56199/
BENTONVILLE — There was a day when senior care meant moving into a hospital-style nursing home.
Things have changed. And in Arkansas, Bentonville’s Legacy Village is leading the way.
Legacy Village, a continuing development at Northeast J Street and John DeShields Boulevard, across from the future site of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, opened the first phase of its “ campus of care ” concept nearly two years ago, with independent living homes for adults age 62 and up. The concept was an immediate success, as residents were afforded opportunities to enjoy living options without changing their traditions and lifestyles.
On Thursday, several state and local leaders, including Congressman John Boozman, John Hicks of Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s staff and the mayors of Bentonville and Rogers, gathered at Legacy Village to dedicate the site for the second phase of the project. And the second phase promises to deliver an assisted-living option that will be the first of its kind in Arkansas.
The second phase, tagged as Green House Assisted Living, will consist of six stand-alone buildings, each providing daily care for 10 residents. Interiors will be designed around a large commons area with a fireplace, an open kitchen, a dining table for 12 and comfortable furnishings. Meals will be served family style, and residents may participate in meal preparation if they desire. A secure exterior area will include a patio and courtyard with a walking pathway. All residents will have private efficiency apartments with a bedroom and bath, all geared toward providing a homelike environment where senior residents can thrive rather than merely survive.
The Green House model was developed by Dr. Bill Thomas, a geriatrician dedicated to eliminating institutional-style nursing homes in America. The pilot Green House project was built in Tupelo, Miss., in 2002 by the Methodist Senior Services organization, with 12 houses now in operation. There are now 10 such projects across the country.
According to Northwest Arkansas Senior Services Inc., the corporation behind Legacy Village, a team of researchers at the University of Minnesota conducted a two-year study to compare outcomes of the Green House model with outcomes from a traditional nursing facility on the same campus in Tupelo, as well as other nursing facilities in other parts of Mississippi. The research concluded that the Green House model gave seniors more privacy and control of their daily lives, and significantly lower rates of depression were reported.
The Green House concept is being viewed by state and national leaders as an example of how long-term care dollars can be allocated differently to better support the quality of care and quality of life that aging Americans deserve.
According to information provided by Northwest Arkansas Senior Services Inc., 20 of the 60 Green House units will meet the qualifications for affordable housing. It will be the first Green House project in the country to be partially funded with low-incomehousing tax credits, which opens the door for Arkansans who can afford to pay privately, as well as those who need assistance with housing and service costs.
The Green House project will cost approximately $ 10 million and will complete the second phase of Legacy Village. Future development will include townhouses and apartments, providing further options for independent and assisted-living care for seniors.