Shortage in Senior Housing

By Patricia Breakey - Delhi News Bureau

A crisis is looming in housing for the rising population of senior citizens, with a shortage of beds available for those who are no longer able to live alone but don't require nursing-home care.
Adult foster care homes can be a perfect solution for people who need temporary or long-term non-medical residential care, but there aren't enough of them to meet the growing demand, Susan Aikens, Delaware County deputy commissioner, said Tuesday.

"We are actively recruiting for adult foster care homes," Aikens said. "Right now, we have five homes with 26 beds in Delaware County and we get 4 to 5 requests a month."
Recent closures of adult homes in Delaware County, both voluntary and involuntary, left about 100 people without a home. Of those, only 16 were able to remain in the county because there were no other spaces available.

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Long Term Care Aims to Feel More Like Home

We found the following article useful in that it depicts many of the same philosophies we hold regarding senior and elder care in a home setting.

By Kay Brookshire, news@knoxvillebiz.com
Monday, March 17, 2008

A nursing home in Jefferson County and a Knoxville architectural firm are in the forefront of a reform movement aimed at taking long-term care out of institutionalized settings.

Jefferson County Nursing Home is adding three long-term care facilities slightly larger than traditional homes, each with private bedrooms and baths arranged around a hearth room, and a large dining table where residents and staff can gather for meals. The homes are designed to offer elders vibrant communities, with sun-filled rooms and a garden to explore, rather than institutions with long halls and sterile environments.

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What makes a Green House?

• Architecture: Resembles nearby housing, ranging from single-family homes to high-rise apartment buildings. Private bedrooms and bathrooms, open hearth, dining and kitchen areas, ceiling lifts and fenced yard. Materials and design emphasize home-like setting.
• Staffing: caregivers provide personal care, meal planning and preparation, light housekeeping, and laundry. A guide serves as a coach and supervisor and might serve one or more homes. Nurses enter and work in the homes much like they would in a home health care setting.
• Interior design: Residents may bring some of their own furniture and accessories. A large dining table seats staff and residents together for meals. Bedrooms open to the central hearth area.
• Size: Intentionally small, housing 6-10 people in 6,000-7,000 square feet.
• Lifestyle: Less scheduled, more privacy and more control of their daily activities than a traditional setting.
• Relationships: Social interaction is key, and friendship between caregivers and residents is encouraged. Families, children, pets and volunteers are welcome guests.