State Regulations Hinder Development of New Nursing Home Model
A new nursing home model has failed to take hold in California, partly because of regulations that hinder the development of small-scale facilities, HealthyCal reports.
New Model Details
The model, called the Green House Project, started in upstate New York and has spread to 27 states. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has provided support for the project.
Under the model, fully-licensed staff members provide long-term care services in a home-like setting. The model allows caregivers to spend more time with individual patients because each home houses only about one dozen residents. The homes generally are located on a campus served by a central administration.
Challenges in California
Robert Jenkens -- who helps direct the Green House Project -- said a key part of the model's success has been its ability to work within federal and state statutes.
However, project leaders say they have faced difficulty in fitting the model within California's regulations.
For example, California requires a nursing home's kitchen to be separate from its living and sleeping areas. However, Green House nursing homes typically integrate kitchens with living areas much like a regular house.
Lawmakers Looking at Issue
The Senate Health Committee's Aging and Long-Term Care Subcommittee is expected to examine state nursing home codes and the Green House Project model this week (Weintraub, HealthyCal, 4/25).
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