U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), a member of the Senate Aging Committee, has introduced the Promoting Small House Nursing Homes Act (S.3732) to improve and increase person-centered long-term residential care and coordinated health care for older Americans.
Specifically, the bill would:
- Create a low-interest loan fund for building new or renovating existing long term care facilities that follow articulated small house nursing home model guidelines;
- Establish clear and specific program requirements and guidelines that build upon existing programs that have successfully implemented substantial culture change and person-centered care;
- Create a home-like and non-institutional model of care for long term care residential facilities that is based upon the principles of: collaborative decision-making; respect; and significantly improved quality of life for residents and staff alike.
Casey told the Senate that he expects the bill to “play a significant role in the way we care for our older citizens in this country.”
He also said it should contribute to the anticipated health care reform in the coming year, as well as the creation of new jobs.
The legislation is in line with the culture change movement as supported by PHI—a movement that seeks to end the “one size fits all” approach to resident care in nursing homes and promotes more flexible policies to ensure the comfort and dignity of residents and the workers that care for them.
it sounds great, really it does, but I work in a facility that has 3 different sides to it. One is a rehab side where they are only there temporarily, one side is a lock down facility where the residents are a danger to themselves. And the other side, is the side where they cannot walk or talk, or anything like that. I want to know how will this program help them???
In answer to Brandi. I think we forget that every human being regardless of their loss has a right to dignity, identity, person-hood and choice, no matter how limited. Perhaps your small house would look a bit different then the community where the residents are high functioning; however, it still can be done.
excellent idea. Facilities could admit like residents to maintain consistancy.
As now, some buildings have heavy care, some have behavioral residents, some have only walkie talkie residents. A reduction in the size of a building is good. A reduction in the number of residents to care for is good. There is a breaking point. Below 60 residents is easier to care for, a dozen or so to care for would make it more personable and individualized. This is a very good idea. A semi-private room in a 120 plus bed facility is not private, home like and not personal..army barracks compared to a hotel room.
This model should be what we (USA) want and require in the future for long term care settings.
Large instutions are a way to increase profit for providing care to the elderly. This sould be our future for long term care settings. Thanks.
I am the administrator of a small facility located in Missouri and we have been comtemplating new construction. It is nice to see someone in Congress realize the need and understand the importance of this issue. We would jump at the chance of a low interest loan(as we have put our new building on hold due to financing) We don’t want a handout just the opportunity to provide a much need change in taking care of our elders. We have begun some culture changes but are limited due to the age of our building(35 plus years) Everyone should write their Representatives and Senators and let them know how important this is.
I am a dislocated worker from a Nursing Home that closed. A trend that concerns me is the transition from NH to Assisted Living. Workers are not trained to take on the calibur of care put upon them. I agree that large NH Homes are not the answer to caring for our elders, but a balance and consideration of level of cares, availability of safe homes to place this population. Considerations of what populations constitutes a NH (mentally ill, mentally handicapped, rehab, frail elderly, active elderly, very obese, and so on) is an issue that must be addressed. Smaller, homier, but well staffed facilities can work well, but also with funding so low to the homes many are struggling. And the pay for workers is usually not a living wage. As a country, looking at ways to attract and keep qualified workers will be the base of success for any plan.