As we age, our needs and preferences for living environments often change. Many seniors find themselves considering various options for long-term care, seeking not only safety and support but also a sense of home, community, and control over how they live their daily lives. The household model of senior living, sometimes called the small home model, is a growing trend that addresses these desires.
This approach provides a more personalized experience in senior housing, contrasting sharply — and favorably — with the dreary traditional institutional settings many of us imagine.
What Is the Household Model of Senior Living?
The household model is an innovative approach to senior housing floor plans and care services that offers small, self-contained households within larger communities. Each household typically consists of 10–20 residents who live together in an attractive, comfortable setting.
Benefits of the Household Model
The design of the household or small-home style of living is purposefully crafted to feel more like a home than an institution. This approach not only creates a more enjoyable living environment, but also challenges the traditional perception of what senior living can and should be. The household model is redefining the future of senior care by prioritizing the dignity, comfort, and preferences of its residents, significantly improving the quality of their lives.
Best-of-All-Worlds Hybrid Floor Plan Design
The house plans for seniors in this model typically include private bedrooms and bathrooms, a shared kitchen, and open-floor dining and living spaces where residents can socialize, cook, and participate in daily activities together.
Greater Autonomy and Customized Socializing Options
Unlike traditional nursing homes, where care schedules are often rigid and standardized, small home models allow for flexibility and choice. Residents can wake up, eat, and engage in the activities of their choice on their own schedules, making it easier to maintain their routines and sense of autonomy. This autonomy is crucial for maintaining a sense of purpose and dignity, which can be easily lost in more institutional settings. The ability to make choices about their daily routines helps residents feel more at home and less like they are in a care facility.
For example, residents who prefer a quiet environment can choose to spend time in their rooms or smaller communal spaces, while those who enjoy socializing have ample opportunities to engage with others. These connections can combat feelings of loneliness and isolation, which are common in more traditional senior living settings.
Person-Centered Approach to Care and Services
The household living style is designed with a patient-centered care model in mind, meaning that medical and personal care is tailored around the residents’ individual needs and preferences.
The roles of staff in household model settings also differ from those in more conventional environments. Instead of focusing solely on medical tasks, caregivers in this model are often cross-trained to handle a variety of responsibilities, from cooking meals to assisting with personal care. This approach fosters closer relationships between staff and residents, further enhancing the feeling of home and a sense of family.
Improved Health Outcomes
Research has shown that the person-centered care model in small-home living can lead to better health outcomes for seniors. The smaller, more personalized setting allows for more attentive care, reducing the risk of falls, infections, and other common medical issues in larger facilities. Additionally, the close-knit community and homelike environment can promote mental and emotional well-being, leading to overall better health.
Resilience During Public Health Crises
The household model has proven particularly beneficial during public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The smaller group sizes and self-contained households make it easier to implement infection control measures and reduce the spread of illness. The model’s focus on strong relationships and social connections also helps mitigate the negative mental health impacts of isolation during such times.
The household model of senior living represents a significant shift in how we think about long-term care for seniors. By creating smaller, homelike environments that emphasize personalized care, autonomy, and community, this model offers a more dignified and fulfilling living experience for older adults. As the population continues to age, the household model should become the standard for senior care, offering a brighter and more compassionate future for our loved ones.
Enjoy the Household Model of Living With Chapel Pointe
Chapel Pointe is a faith-based continuing care retirement community. We commit each day to serving and enhancing the quality of life for people aged 62 and older in Central Pennsylvania, offering amenities and social programs to boost our residents’ mental, physical, and spiritual health. We’re honored that our greater community sees the servant heart of our nonprofit organization and consistently selects Chapel Pointe’s skilled care households as The Best Nursing Home Facility of Cumberland County.
We offer five-star skilled nursing in The Households, where residents enjoy personal dignity and independence in their own private accommodations, coupled with the reassurance of a professional, caring staff who provide assistance every day.
In contrast to what people often envision when they think of a “nursing home,” Chapel Pointe residents drive their own schedules with breakfast, sleeping, social engagements, and activities designed around individual needs. Our residents get back what’s lost in many facilities: the power to choose.
Contact us to learn more about The Households and to get more information about living your best life at Chapel Pointe!