Recruiting a NHA for a Green House Project

We are developing a new type of nursing home in Sheridan, Wyoming. It will be a Green House Project. We have the land and are currently in the midst of a fundraising campaign. Our organization is a start up and a pilot project for the Stat of Wyoming. At some point in the not to distant future, it would be beneficial to hire the NHA so they are on the ground floor of the development of this exciting project. I am looking for help on the most efficent and effective ways to recruit for this highly specialized and professional position?

Carmen Rideout in Sheridan, Wyoming said: We are developing a new type of nursing home in Sheridan, Wyoming. It will be a Green House Project. We have the land and are currently in the midst of a fundraising campaign. Our organization is a start up and a pilot project for the Stat of Wyoming. At some point in the not to distant future, it would be beneficial to hire the NHA so they are on the ground floor of the development of this exciting project. I am looking for help on the most efficent and effective ways to recruit for this highly specialized and professional position?[/Q

Carmen:,
When you say green house what exactly do you mean? If you are speaking about the structure of the building and the living environment in the home, then I am especially interested and would like to talk to you at greater length.

Yes - The structure and the living enviroment are different. Please google the Green House Project and see what it is all about. If you are still interested let me know and tell me a little about yourself. Are you familar with Dr. Bill Thomas who conceptualized this model of long term care and is the a driving force in transforming eldercare in the U.S.?

Carmen:
I am familiar w/ the eden alternative and , since your message, have looked at the green house concept. I love it!! It is so much more human than what we have going now. Ironically, I have experience in a similar setting that I spent many years at. It was a small nursing facility that served developmentally disabled and mentally ill individuals. 48 total "beds" six homes w/ 8 people in each around a cul de sac in west central fl.
My greatest concern at this time is how you are planning to make your project cost effective. Are you planning more than 1 house?
My e-mail is Shamus34429@Yahoo.com. If you have continued interest please contact me so we can continue this dialogue and I can send you my credentials and you can tell me about your group.

Thanks Carmen-

James

James - Are you interested in other opportunities in Florida? We have permanent and interim Administrator Positions.

Lindsay-
Yes, I would be very interested in discussing opportunities in FL with you.

Please forward your resume to Lindsay.Lynam@micrapartners.com
Thanks. Lindsay Lynam Direct Line 602.452.6419

I'm a NHA and the guide for 2 greenhouses. Tell me more about your project!

The guide for 2 greenhouses?
Please explain in more detail

We have 2 10 bed greenhouses (snf)and the main facility is 140 (snf) beds.

So Jerry, the big question I keep running into falls in the financial relm. I would guess you use the 140 bed facility to support the 10 bed houses. Yes?
Do you think the 2 10 bed homes could support themselves?
how do you decide who gets to live in the 10 bed homes and who stays in the biggger facility? Is this driven by funding in any case?
Jerry, do you think one could get the benifit of the smaller setting by applying certain green principles to the "big house" ?
And finally, do you get into "the purpose" (of living or life) and/or development of activities to motivate the consumers in your operation ? If so could you recommend any readings or authors who discuss this topic. I am starting a literature review to explore any known history on this topic. I'd like to take an indepth look at it.
Any help would be appreciated ! Thanks..

Yes, the ancillary services (Admin, Therapy, etc) come from the main faculty. To support themselves, you would need more homes (probably minimum of six). We choose who got to live in the Greenhouses by seniority in the ?big house? first. Now by the order they signed up. A lot of our elders are comfortable in the institution and don?t want to leave it, although I?m sure they would be happier in the Greenhouse. Not driven by funding, all the elders in the greenhouses are Medicaid. I think the Eden Altermative with the neighborhood concept, with a universal worker (CNA, laundry, housekeeping, dietary) is as close to the greenhouse concept as you can come in an institution. The neighborhood concept, with teamwork and empowerment in force, is a huge improvement over the traditional top-down bureaucracy. Dr. Bill Thomas developed the guiding principles of both the Eden Alternative and the Greenhouse Project. His books are excellent.

.So I would assume that your facilities are corporately owned. How was the decision made ,or maybe a more accurate question would be, what was the motivation to move in this direction? Are your facilities owned by a nonprofit organization? How and why was the decision made to add the greenhouses to your existing facility?
Are you using the Universal worker concept in your main facility?
I know about Dr Thomas and his concept but have only spoken to any length about the concept w/ one other Adm. Thanks for your openesss and dialogue. I applaude your progressive nature and the humanistic direction of your operation. Although Thomas ideas are progressive the industry doesn't seem to be embracing them. Do you think it's just the idea of change and the effort required to restructure or is this reluctance to move in this direction motivated by lack of financial incentives?

. We are county owned. Our motivation is to provide the best posible qulaity of life for our elders. Also, we are very rural, centrally located approx. 30 miles from the population centers and our competiton. Thus we have to provide a service that people are willing to drive to get (or visit). Since we are governmental, we have been able to put funds away to stay progressive. Because we have been involved in the Eden journey for so long and been aware of its benefits, when Dr. Thomas proposed the Greenhouse concept, we jumped on board. This also gave us an opportunity to create more private rooms in our main facility, which our research told us was necessary to maintain our census.
We do not use the universal worker concept in our main facility. This is our ultimate goal, but will require substantial commitment to accomplish. At this time, we are working on using the greenhouse model of self managed work teams in the main facility. We have a way to go to make this a reality.
? I think both the idea of change and because elder/staff satisfaction is not yet enough of a financial incentive to motivate nursing homes to change that holds back the Eden concept.

Jerry in Powers, Michigan said: Yes, the ancillary services (Admin, Therapy, etc) come from the main faculty. To support themselves, you would need more homes (probably minimum of six). We choose who got to live in the Greenhouses by seniority in the ?big house? first. Now by the order they signed up. A lot of our elders are comfortable in the institution and don?t want to leave it, although I?m sure they would be happier in the Greenhouse. Not driven by funding, all the elders in the greenhouses are Medicaid. I think the Eden Altermative with the neighborhood concept, with a universal worker (CNA, laundry, housekeeping, dietary) is as close to the greenhouse concept as you can come in an institution. The neighborhood concept, with teamwork and empowerment in force, is a huge improvement over the traditional top-down bureaucracy. Dr. Bill Thomas developed the guiding principles of both the Eden Alternative and the Greenhouse Project. His books are excellent.

Jerry: If one was looking to hire an administrator who could help transform an existing SNF to more of a Greenhouse environment, what characteristics/traits/etc. would you say would be important? Would the job description be different from an Administrator at a traditional SNF?

Yes, quite a bit different. The leadership philosophy in the greenhouse is to be a coach/facilitator. The "boss" in the greenhouse is the elders and the Shahbaz (CNA). The Greenhouse Project (NCB Capital Impact) puts on a 3 day leadership training program that is excellent!

Carmen Rideout in Sheridan, Wyoming said: We are developing a new type of nursing home in Sheridan, Wyoming. It will be a Green House Project. We have the land and are currently in the midst of a fundraising campaign. Our organization is a start up and a pilot project for the Stat of Wyoming. At some point in the not to distant future, it would be beneficial to hire the NHA so they are on the ground floor of the development of this exciting project. I am looking for help on the most efficent and effective ways to recruit for this highly specialized and professional position?

I would love to hear more i have a ny licenced and ten year direct care experience

Another great source for this is Jude Rabig who is a nationally recognized expert on the small house model. Look on the National Alliance of Samll Houses (NASH) for more information about small houses and exchange information with others who are the guide for the houses or other positions.
As someone who opened a facility with many of the components of small house, the role of the administrator is a constant coach and mentor. It is ongoing and hard work but the most rewarding ever. Think about this change as trying to turn the Titanic around.

I am a NHA, a certified Eden Associate and a doctoral student conducting my dissertation research into the impact culture change has upon the long term care industry. I am actively looking for new and exciting opportunities to discuss the culture change journey in LTC.

Please email me. What we are involved in is not "changing the existing culture" but actually eliminating\
the existing institutional model and going to a deinstitutionalized way for elders to live.
I would enjoy exchanging ideas

I am an LNHA in Ohio and was involved with launching a small house neighborhood here. Developing self directed work teams that really work together collaboratively is the hardest part imo. I know Jude Rabig and sat under her guidance when my former organization developed their version of a small house. The life that the elders experience make this a true labor of love. I'd be interested in a new opportunity.

Janet in West Chester, Ohio said: I am an LNHA in Ohio and was involved with launching a small house neighborhood here. Developing self directed work teams that really work together collaboratively is the hardest part imo. I know Jude Rabig and sat under her guidance when my former organization developed their version of a small house. The life that the elders experience make this a true labor of love. I'd be interested in a new opportunity.

Wow, I had to look back to see if I posted something by mistake! I am also an LNHA named Janet in West Chester. Would love to touch base with you on what you have done as I am looking into new opportunities.

Janet in West Chester, Ohio said: Wow, I had to look back to see if I posted something by mistake! I am also an LNHA named Janet in West Chester. Would love to touch base with you on what you have done as I am looking into new opportunities.

Hey Janet! Nice to meet you. I am currently between positions, so maybe we could get together and "do lunch". I spent 2 years opening and running a small house neighborhood - zero deficiency survey (a small house first!), great resident satisfaction survey, staff retention, etc.....

Janet too in West Chester, Ohio said: Hey Janet! Nice to meet you. I am currently between positions, so maybe we could get together and "do lunch". I spent 2 years opening and running a small house neighborhood - zero deficiency survey (a small house first!), great resident satisfaction survey, staff retention, etc.....

That sounds great! What would be the best way to contact you?

Hello Janet(s) from WestChester!...I am a 22 year old from Hillsboro, which is about 60 miles west of Cincinnati...I actually just graduated from OSU in MArch with a degree in HEalth Sciences, specifically geriatrics...I did a lot of research on greenhouses and the culture change movements in LTC. I will be starting my AIT in July at The LAurels of Hillsboro, ultimately I would LOVE to be an administrator of a new wave facility (eden, pioneer wellspring, greenhouse..etc)...If there is anyway that I can take part in what you all are doing, please contact me, I would love to hear more and help out! Thanks!
email: kjenkins.461@gmail.com

We are looking to migrate to the universal worker but do not know if there are consultants that can work with our staff to train them to be a universal worker. Does anyone know how to train/migrate to the universal worker?

I do know of someone who has worked with numerous facilities around the country, her name is Jude Rabig, PhD

motoole in Brookline, Massachusetts said: I do know of someone who has worked with numerous facilities around the country, her name is Jude Rabig, PhD

im looking for work i had my license since 2006
Robert