{"id":72910,"date":"2026-02-19T18:16:37","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T23:16:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?p=72910"},"modified":"2026-02-20T12:17:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T17:17:04","slug":"green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Green Houses&#8217; offer cozier alternative to Michigan nursing homes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Two programs represent a gold standard of elder care in Michigan: the Green House model of care and Programs of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The idea is to help prevent residents from expensive, sometimes low-quality, care<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Other states make it easier to open these programs<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>DETROIT \u2014 Afternoon sunshine floods into the large window of her private bedroom, making even more clear at this moment Tanya Hollins\u2019 incredibly good fortune.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hollins could easily be one of the some 35,000 residents in a Michigan nursing home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, she\u2019s here this day, showing a visitor a collection of photos taped to her wall: herself grinning in a cowboy hat, another as she stands with Santa Claus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 69-year old pushes her walker a few inches, reaching now for a tiny jewelry box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI painted it myself \u2014 I did,\u201d she says, smiling. \u201cIt\u2019s a pretty color, don\u2019t you think?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/michigan-nursing-homes-have-few-staff-little-training-misery-can-follow\/\"><strong>Michigan nursing homes have few staff, little training. Misery can follow<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/author\/robin-erb\/page\/2\/#:~:text=Abuse%2C%20neglect%20common%20in%20Michigan%20nursing%20homes%20%E2%80%94%C2%A0and%20no%20one%20is%20coming%20to%20help\"><strong>Abuse, neglect common in Michigan nursing homes \u2014 and no one is coming to help<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/crush-retirees-crisis-michigan-state-unprepared-meet-their-needs\/\"><strong>Crush of retirees a crisis in Michigan. State unprepared to meet their needs<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Does she ever get bored?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She explodes into laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey keep us busy here, busy all the time.\u201d She shakes her head as though it was the silliest question she\u2019s ever heard.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is home. This is better than home. I love it.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hollins and her nine housemates are lucky<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite complicated health conditions and advanced age, they likely will be able to avoid time at a nursing home \u2014 facilities that in best cases can feel institutional, and in worst cases, can be places of <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/abuse-neglect-common-in-michigan-nursing-homes-and-no-one-is-coming-to-help\/\">frequent short-staffing and neglect<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hollins and her nine housemates are part of two national efforts that some say are the gold standards of care for the nation\u2019s oldest residents. The goal is to delay nursing home care, or even prevent it altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first initiative is this <a href=\"https:\/\/aginginnovation.org\/green-house-homes\/\">Green House<\/a> home \u2014 a communal living arrangement that stresses a home-like environment where relationships flourish. Crucially, they restore decision-making to older residents, such as allowing them to choose what they would like prepared for dinner. They also empower front line staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The \u201cpower of normal\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Susan Ryan, CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/aginginnovation.org\/\">Aging Innovations<\/a>, calls it \u201cthe power of normal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By design, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FQG1ginQ27c\">Green House homes are small<\/a> \u2014 10 to 12 people, compared with nursing homes, which can house more than 100 residents and employ hundreds of staff.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Detroit, there are two <a href=\"https:\/\/pvm.org\/locations\/the-thome-rivertown-neighborhood\/the-weinberg-green-houses-at-thome-rivertown-neighborhood\/\">Weinberg Green Houses<\/a>. Unlike others that stand alone as houses, these two Green House homes are on the second and third floors at the Thome Rivertown Neighborhood for older adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than ever-present medication carts, nursing stations, and dining hall trays of a nursing home, there are private rooms and an open kitchen. Residents who can help do so \u2014 setting the large dining room table for dinner or folding laundry, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"72913\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/attachment\/02272026_green_house_home_ee-24\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Emily Elconin&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R5m2&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Green House resident Deborah Robinson puts waters on the table ahead of dinner for residents at the Thome Rivertown Senior Apartments in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. The Rivertown neighborhood offers programs including PACE, providing medical care and support services for residents. Emily Elconin for Bridge Michigan&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1771362267&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;35&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;1250&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"02272026_green_house_home_EE (24)\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Green House resident Deborah Robinson puts waters on the table ahead of dinner for residents at the Thome Rivertown Senior Apartments in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. The Rivertown neighborhood offers programs including PACE, providing medical care and support services for residents. Emily Elconin for Bridge Michigan&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Green House resident Deborah Robinson puts waters on the table ahead of dinner for residents at the Thome Rivertown Senior Apartments. The Rivertown neighborhood offers programs including PACE, providing medical care and support services for residents.(Emily Elconin for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Green House resident Deborah Robinson puts waters on the table ahead of dinner for residents at the Thome Rivertown Senior Apartments in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. \" class=\"wp-image-72913\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1334&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-24-1024x683.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Green House resident Deborah Robinson puts waters on the table ahead of dinner for residents at the Thome Rivertown Senior Apartments. The Rivertown neighborhood offers programs including PACE, providing medical care and support services for residents.(Emily Elconin for Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Hollins and her housemates help choose their meals that staff prepare in an open kitchen that invites casual conversation during meal prep. Residents share meals at the dining room table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the open shared space, housemate Debra Robinson, 66, is laying out plates and silverware for the smothered chicken and gravy now finishing in the oven. Another housemate, Robert Betty, 77, is letting others know that dinner\u2019s nearly ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a communal approach that, compared to the decision-making of a nursing home hierarchy, restores \u201ccontrol, dignity, and a sense of well-being\u201d to residents, or \u201celders,\u201d as they are called, Ryan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s ensuring that elders are allowed to have access to some of the same, same things that the rest of us have access to,\u201d she said. \u201cWe don&#8217;t live in institutions. Why would elders live in institutions?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The weekdays are equally individualized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>One-stop shop\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every morning, at about 9 o\u2019clock or so, the elders meet at the front door of their second-floor home in the Thome Rivertown Neighborhood near downtown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their destination: a national service called the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npaonline.org\/what-is-pace-care\">Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly<\/a>, or PACE. This one-stop shop downstairs fills their days with music, dance, exercise and, last week, a 47-piece local orchestra for entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it also houses a team of social workers, doctors, podiatrists, dentists and others. Together, they ensure the kind of care that \u2014 when delivered routinely \u2014 will tamp down the odds of these residents and other PACE participants ending up in a hospital and then a nursing home.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"72915\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/attachment\/02272026_green_house_home_ee-36\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Emily Elconin&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS R5m2&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Physical therapist Leslie McIntyre assists Connie Young in mobility exercises inside the rehabilitation center at the Thome Rivertown Senior Apartments facility in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. The Rivertown neighborhood offers programs including PACE, providing medical care and support services for residents. Emily Elconin for Bridge Michigan&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1771341489&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;35&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;2500&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.002&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"02272026_green_house_home_EE (36)\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Physical therapist Leslie McIntyre assists Connie Young in mobility exercises inside the rehabilitation center at the Thome Rivertown Senior Apartments facility in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. The Rivertown neighborhood offers programs including PACE, providing medical care and support services for residents. Emily Elconin for Bridge Michigan&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Physical therapy in nursing homes and elsewhere may be limited by insurance \u2014 to two weeks or while there\u2019s improvement, for example. But at the PACE program in Detroit, it continues indefinitely, helping participants to maintain their strength in an effort to help them avoid nursing homes. (Emily Elconin for Bridge Michigan)&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Physical therapist Leslie McIntyre assists Connie Young in mobility exercises inside the rehabilitation center at the Thome Rivertown Senior Apartments facility in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026.\" class=\"wp-image-72915\" style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1366&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1334&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-36-1024x683.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Physical therapy in nursing homes and elsewhere may be limited by insurance \u2014 to two weeks or while there\u2019s improvement, for example. But at the PACE program in Detroit, it continues indefinitely, helping participants to maintain their strength in an effort to help them avoid nursing homes. (Emily Elconin for Bridge Michigan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In this sprawling space, the Green House residents will join about 350 other older Detroit area residents throughout the week. They arrive \u2014 most coming from their own homes and independent- or assisted living homes \u2014&nbsp; on PACE buses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each person <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/mdhhs\/assistance-programs\/healthcare\/seniors\/program-of-all-inclusive-care-for-the-elderly-pace\">is eligible<\/a> because they have been deemed medically fragile enough for a nursing home. The idea, though, is to keep them in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe want to help them maintain their independence, their dignity,\u201d said Sicily Baker, day center manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to two hot meals each day, there are dances, movies, exercise classes and field trips as well as physical therapy and visits to the doctor or social worker \u2014 all in this same collection of rooms.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On this particular morning, smooth jazz spills from a speaker in one room, as residents eat breakfast or catch up on their days.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some residents sew or fill in coloring books or crossword puzzles.<br><br>Others scroll through phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019re in charge,\u201d Baker says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Savings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the individual care and low staff-client ratio, supporters of PACE and Green House homes say they save tax dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To understand the savings is to first consider a nursing home and its hierarchy of staff and multiple divisions of labor, said Robert Jenkins, a long-term care consultant who helped establish some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/thegreenhouseproject.org\/our-story\/history\/\">nation\u2019s first Green Houses<\/a> more than 20 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A certified nursing aide in a nursing home usually has a narrow and prescribed set of duties around personal care. A dietary aide helps with meals. A nurse passes medications. An activities director shepherds engagement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"236\" height=\"300\" data-attachment-id=\"72916\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/attachment\/robert_jenkins_courtesy\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?fit=915%2C1164&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"915,1164\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.1&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;COOLPIX L20&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;-62169984000&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;6.72&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;64&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.016393442622951&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"robert_jenkins_courtesy\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;The purpose of Green House living is \u201cto get away from more of the assembly line structure of institutional healthcare settings,\u201d said Robert Jenkins, who helped develop some of the nation\u2019s first sites.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?fit=236%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?fit=805%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?resize=236%2C300&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Headshot of Robert Jenkins.\" class=\"wp-image-72916\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?resize=236%2C300&amp;ssl=1 236w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?resize=805%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 805w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?resize=768%2C977&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?resize=780%2C992&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?resize=400%2C509&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy.jpg?w=915&amp;ssl=1 915w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/robert_jenkins_courtesy-236x300.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The purpose of Green House living is \u201cto get away from more of the assembly line structure of institutional healthcare settings,\u201d said Robert Jenkins, who helped develop some of the nation\u2019s first sites.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>A Green House home \u201cpulls hours back from all of these departments that operate behind walls, away from the residents \u2014 laundry, housekeeping, dietary.\u201d<br><br>Instead, one \u201cuniversal worker\u201d \u2014 a familiar face for residents \u2014 also cooks and does light house-cleaning, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Workers like Mesha Dix and Kimnalla Simmons in Detroit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both previously worked as certified nurses aids in nursing homes. Shifts there were an impossibly long list of tasks that allowed for little interaction with residents \u2014 help with the showering, change linens, and move on to the next resident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was running from call light to call light and going up and down hallways,\u201d said Simmons, as she and Dix began filling drink glasses for dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, Dix and Simmons are each<strong> <\/strong>known as a <a href=\"https:\/\/brooksrehab.org\/resources\/life-as-a-shahbaz-in-the-green-house-residences\/\">shahbaz<\/a>, part of a small staff who execute those tasks, but also plan meals with the elders or \u2014 just as importantly \u2014 simply sits and talk with residents. Play board games. Reminisce. Make plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upstairs this afternoon, shabhaz Keyon Gordon is chatting with elder Aura Brewer about nothing in particular \u2014 just the day, how she is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing rushed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He, too, used to work in a nursing home. In addition to those personal care duties at the Green House, he makes dinners and bakes cakes for the elders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHere, it\u2019s about relationships, too,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s another hallmark of a Green House \u2014 empowered staff \u2014 and it\u2019s critical to that feeling of home \u2014 along with plants and pets and welcoming living spaces, Rani Snyder, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation, told Bridge. The nonpartisan philanthropy works to improve care for older adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Green House homes are about \u201cresident autonomy and choice and dignity,\u201d she said. \u201cThey emphasize meaningful interactions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Green House homes also can save money \u2014 at least in the long run, say advocates for older adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Detroit, the monthly cost for the twenty Green House residents is $7,067.40 each. In comparison, the average cost for a semi-private nursing home room was $10,570 in 2024, or $11,574 for a private room, according to life insurance company Genworth, which operates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carescout.com\/cost-of-care\">Care Scout<\/a>, a website that allows consumers to compare long-term care costs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Green House is to try to get away from more of the assembly line structure of institutional health-care settings and put it back into what is a real home environment,\u201d said Jenkins, the consultant. \u201cYou&#8217;re both empowering the direct care staff so that they have input and control and management, but you&#8217;re also making that a more efficient process.\u201d<br><br>In short, he said, \u201cyou have fewer middle managers that you&#8217;re working through.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, empowered staff are less likely to leave \u2014 a cost savings in an industry racked by high turnover of staff and the high costs of recruiting and training replacements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the height of the pandemic, Green House homes reported substantially lower turnover rates \u2014 33.5% for shahbazim, according to Aging Innovations, which runs the Green House Project. In comparison, nursing homes reported more than 100% turnover rates for certified nursing assistants in some areas, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthaffairs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1377\/hlthaff.2020.00957\">research<\/a> published in the peer-reviewed journal Health Affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why aren\u2019t there more?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan now has <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/PACE-in-Michigan.pdf\">14 PACE programs<\/a>. That\u2019s significantly more than just about any other state. Only California, with 38 sites, and Pennsylvania, with 18 sites have more.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It has <a href=\"https:\/\/thegreenhouseproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Green-House-Resource-Directory.pdf\">twelve Green House homes<\/a> at six sites, including the two homes in Detroit\u2019s Rivertown neighborhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both the PACE and Green House homes serve just a sliver of older Michiganders, compared to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/other-health\/state-indicator\/number-of-nursing-facility-residents\/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D\">more than 35,000<\/a> nursing home residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan AARP and others have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/content\/dam\/aarp\/ppi\/2021\/small-house-nursing-homes.pdf\">renewed calls<\/a> for small homes such as Green House sites, especially since COVID, which proved particularly deadly for nursing home residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest hurdles to expanding both programs are start-up costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou have to build out a building. You have to fully equip it \u2014 build out a clinic and have staff hired and trained and on site before you can enroll one participant, said Christine Vanlandingham, CEO of Region IV Area Agency on Aging in St. Joseph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There, it took $6 million to get a PACE program up and running, she said. Today, about 250 older area residents arrive at the program, some choosing to come five days a week and others just a few times a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Expanding the programs can happen with nonprofit help, fundraising, and local tax dollars, but it will take state investment, too, said Paula Cunningham, of Michigan AARP.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not easy, she acknowledges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe can figure this out together. We can all be at the table, sit down and figure out: How do you restructure what you currently have? Are there dollars for that?\u201d she said. \u201cI don&#8217;t have all the answers, but the answers are out there.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two programs are helping older Detroit area residents avoid nursing homes, improving care and potentially saving tax dollars.<br \/>\nSo why aren\u2019t there more of them?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1142,"featured_media":72912,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2026-02-19T23:16:45Z","apple_news_api_id":"a6de207d-1160-49f5-b5fd-4ab3b0301110","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2026-02-20T17:17:09Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAg==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Apt4gfRFgSfW1_UqzsDAREA","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[2446],"tags":[3,565,55],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[2469],"class_list":["post-72910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-michigan-health-watch","tag-aging-michigan","tag-detroit","tag-michigan-nursing-homes","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>&#039;Green Houses&#039; offer cozier alternative to Michigan nursing homes - Bridge Michigan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"&#039;Green Houses&#039; offer cozier alternative to Michigan nursing homes - Bridge Michigan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Two programs are helping older Detroit area residents avoid nursing homes, improving care and potentially saving tax dollars. So why aren\u2019t there more of them?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Bridge Michigan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BridgeMichigan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-19T23:16:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-20T17:17:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-11.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Robin Erb\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@bridgemichigan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@bridgemichigan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Robin Erb\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Robin Erb\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#\/schema\/person\/921ed91016798b05f0cdcda6397644f1\"},\"headline\":\"&#8216;Green Houses&#8217; offer cozier alternative to Michigan nursing homes\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-19T23:16:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-20T17:17:04+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/\"},\"wordCount\":1923,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-11.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Aging in Michigan\",\"Detroit\",\"Michigan nursing homes\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Michigan Health Watch\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/\",\"name\":\"'Green Houses' offer cozier alternative to Michigan nursing homes - Bridge Michigan\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-11.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-19T23:16:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-20T17:17:04+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-11.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/02272026_green_house_home_EE-11.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"Residents gather at the table ahead of dinner at the Weinberg Green House at Thome Rivertown Neighborhood in Detroit. A Green House home is small compared to the large, institutional feel of some nursing homes. Other programs available for seniors in the Rivertown neighborhood include PACE, which provides medical care. (Emily Elconin for Bridge Michigan)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-health-watch\/green-houses-pace-offer-michigan-seniors-cozier-alternative-to-nursing-homes\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"&#8216;Green Houses&#8217; offer cozier alternative to Michigan nursing homes\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/\",\"name\":\"Bridge Michigan\",\"description\":\"Michigan\u2019s nonpartisan, nonprofit news source\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Bridge Michigan\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/logo-500.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/logo-500.svg\",\"width\":500,\"height\":188,\"caption\":\"Bridge Michigan\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BridgeMichigan\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/bridgemichigan\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bridge.michigan\",\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/bridgemi.com\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@bridge.michigan\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#\/schema\/person\/921ed91016798b05f0cdcda6397644f1\",\"name\":\"Robin Erb\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/6f5f05caf50a3fc96f7a8632ad97bd6c\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ERB-96x96.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/ERB-96x96.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Robin Erb\"},\"description\":\"Robin Erb covers a range of health issues in Michigan, including the industry of aging and the issues facing older residents in Michigan, a state that is aging faster than most others. She joined Bridge in 2019 and has led investigations that tracked millions of dollars in opioid settlement money and explored severe worker shortages in health care that threaten lives and the state's economy. She chronicled the shock and grief of Michigan families in COVID\u2019s wake, as well as state policy decisions and the triumphs of medical breakthroughs. Robin previously spent six years covering health at the Detroit Free Press, documenting the battle over, and the eventual passage of, the Affordable Care Act and Michigan's Medicaid expansion. She studied communications and political science at Miami University and has a master\u2019s degree in organizational leadership from Lourdes University (Toledo, Ohio). She and her husband raised two wonderful children \u2014 but have failed miserably at training their Beagle-Bassets \u2014 in southeast Michigan. 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