Person-centered Service Initiatives

We are committed to transforming long-term care for elders, and by doing so, rid helplessness, loneliness and boredom from elders’ lives. We have embarked on a journey to create the best possible lifestyle for residents in Crestwood and Oak Lea by changing care models and environments. We believe these changes will enable residents to experience enriched living that models the comforts of home. We also are committed to improving the working environment for our outstanding caregivers.

This emphasis on creating more personal service took off in 1999, when an innovative environmental design opened in Crestwood. The new look was one which allowed more intentional community among residents and staff, offering cozy apartments, common living areas, country kitchens and restaurant-style dining. In 2001, we began staff education which emphasized creating a culture in which caregivers focus on relationships with the elders in their care, putting their needs and desires first. Since then, we’ve continued to make changes to create more comfortable homes for residents that are less institutional than traditional assisted living communities and nursing care centers:

• We’ve eliminated a large portion of the institutional nurses’ stations in order to transform the central living room into a more homelike environment.
• We’ve implemented steam table dining to replace meals delivered on tray carts, improving temperature and quality, as well as giving residents more meal choices.
• We’ve sponsored staff training and development opportunities to encourage their professional growth.
• We’ve redecorated the activities rooms and dining rooms to create more homelike environments and to facilitate made-to-order meals. 
• We’ve refinished the living and dining rooms in a bright, cheery color scheme, under the direction of a professional designer.
• We’ve added more small group social opportunities on neighborhoods.
• We’ve made it easier for residents and employees to enjoy shared mealtimes.
• We are focusing on socials between residents and caregivers.
• We are changing our language from medical terminology to words you would use in your home. We serve “residents” who live in “neighborhoods,” not “patients” living on “nursing wings.”

We are a site under development to bring Green House® homes to Virginia. These nontraditional long-term care homes are modeled after a traditional residence, not an institution. Centered on residents’ preferences, the Green House® model emphasizes personal care, relationships, and quality living. To learn more about Green House® projects, go to www.thegreenhouseproject.org