Dr. Thomas Shares His Vision of Eldercare with Hawaii Caregivers
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-07-05 18:10:00-04:00
AARP visiting scholar Dr. Bill Thomas shared his vision of eldercare with hundreds of family and professional caregivers on Maui, Kauai, Oahu and the Big Island. The Harvard-educated geriatrician is revolutionizing long-term care by rethinking the philosophy of care traditionally associated with nursing homes.
Thomas is the creator of an innovative model for skilled nursing care known as The Green House, which is transforming hundreds of long-term care facilities in the U.S. and abroad.
A Green House is a self-contained dwelling designed to look like a private home or apartment. Green House residents have their own bedroom and bath which they decorate with their personal belongings. They enjoy access to a common living room area, share meals around a common table and engage in activities as they choose. The concept has been effective in eliminating loneliness, helplessness and boredom among elders.
The Green House concept is rooted in the tradition of the Eden Alternative, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of elders and their caregivers. The Eden Alternative is intended to de-institutionalize long-term care by eliminating large nursing facilities and creating elder-centered communities where life revolves around close contact with plants, animals and children.
During his stay in Hawaii, U.S. News & World Report published a profile of Dr. Thomas and named him to its list of "America's Best Leaders." He shares this distinction with other notable visionaries such as Colin Powell, Meg Whitman, Cory Booker and Bill Gates, each of whom was selected by an independent committee of judges assembled by the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Dr. Thomas has been recognized with numerous awards throughout his distinguished career. His latest book, What Are Old People For? How Elders Will Save the World, was written under a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which has awarded $10 million to spread The Green House concept.
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