FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chris Atib 970.699.0268
catib@lovelandhousing.org
By Morgan Blanner, Colorado State University
GREEN HOUSE HOMES AT MIRASOL GROWING TO NINE HOMES BY FALL
The skilled-nursing community will be expanding with 30 new private suites and various employment opportunities
LOVELAND, Colo. – August 26, 2020 -The Green House Homes at Mirasol in Loveland, Colorado are opening three new homes in their older adult living community under the leadership of the Loveland Housing Authority (LHA). Of the new additions, one home will feature a rehabilitation gym with an on-site therapy team for the residents. With this expansion, dozens of new employment opportunities will be available for the Loveland community.
The project, managed by Vivage Senior Living in Lakewood, Colorado was the result of a successful public-private partnership led by LHA. The general contractor for the development is Pinkard Construction, the architect is Lantz-Boggio and the financer is FirstBank. The project will ultimately help ensure that Loveland remains at the forefront of person-centered eldercare well into the future.
The Green House Homes at Mirasol follows the Green House Model, which reimagines classic eldercare by focusing on three core values: Real Home, Meaningful Life and Empowered Staff. This design of senior living offers privacy, autonomy, meaning and community by following the physical model of 10 elders per home with private bedrooms and bathrooms. Giving residents the power of choice and freedom aims to move away from the model of institutionalized homes and give our elder community the dignity they deserve, while receiving the care they need. The Green House Model is part of a nationwide movement that is revolutionizing skilled nursing by transforming eldercare by offering real home with a close-knit community among residents and staff.
“This innovative design project has received numerous accolades and a wide range of support throughout the country and continues to set the pace for long-term care in Colorado,” said Jeff Feneis, Executive Director of the Loveland Housing Authority. Megan Marama, Administrator of the Green House Homes at Mirasol has been guiding the community for over two years. Her and the amazing staff at the Green House have been successful at keeping COVID out of their community thus far. “We continue to stay on top of all Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recommendations as they are sent out. Our highest priority is our Elders’ safety, as we continue to love and care for them” said, Marama. A recent study led by the University of North Carolina reveals that 95 percent of nursing homes following the Green House model of care – which are designed for single occupancy rooms – reported zero cases of COVID-19 among residents or staff.
The Green House Homes at Mirasol is a nonprofit organization backed by a capital campaign that has raised nearly $2 million dollars thus far. Since opening their first home in 2014, the Green House Homes at Mirasol have earned numerous awards including an Eagle Award from Housing Colorado for program innovation, a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the American Healthcare Association Bronze Award (AHCA) for our quality of care. The community has also been recognized as a top skilled nursing facility in the U.S. News & World Report’s latest ratings of the best nursing homes in the nation for 2018-2019. The Green House Homes at Mirasol are Medicare-certified and accept most managed care and commercial insurance, as well as private payment and Medicaid.
About Loveland Housing Authority
The purpose of the Loveland Housing Authority is to provide low and moderate income residents of Loveland with opportunities for home and community through housing. To learn more about the Loveland Housing Authority, visit lovelandhousing.org.
About Green House Homes
Green House is an innovative, nationally recognized model in long-term care to create small homes that recognize the individuality of residents and honor their autonomy, choice, privacy and dignity. The number of Green House facilities is small, with just over 300 facilities in several states, but we have enough information about their operations and costs to know that they can provide more effective, human-scale environments to help residents flourish than the traditional large nursing home model, while remaining affordable. To learn more visit mirasolgreenhousehomes.org