What is a Green House Project ?

At Mennonite Home Communities of Ohio we are dedicated to providing the best quality care with living options that will enhance the quality of life for all elders.

A new concept in elder living is to build homes called, Green Houses, which have ten private bedroom/bath areas, a large shared hearth and living room, along with an open kitchen, garden, den, and spa.  These Green Houses operate with skilled nursing care given to each elder by nursing staff and others.  Each Green House operates with input from all 10 elders living there.  They decide their menus, their own daily schedules, activities, and participate with others in house decisions. 

What is the benefit of Green Houses?

In studies done of Green Houses many noticeable things have happened to improve the way elders engage in life.  There has been an increase in mobility, a healthy weight gain and increased appetite, decreased hospitals stays as well as better family participation and family satisfaction.  These things are direct results of a smaller living environment where food is cooked in the kitchen of the home, where there is community and fellowship around a living area but by also allowing the elders privacy in their personal bedroom space.  Each elder has control over their daily schedule, routine and ability to participate in the homes daily activities.  This has empowered many elders to continue to be who they have always been. 

When is this coming to Mennonite Home?

We hope to break ground and build two Green Houses in the fall of 2008.  They will be located on the land south of our Maple Crest Campus.  The cost of building two of these homes is 2 million dollars.  We are intending to raise this money so we can keep the expense of building from inflating the price of living in a Green House.  This means that the cost of living in one of these wonderful homes is affordable to anyone of any financial status. 

If you would like to become involved in this projector donated financially to it, you can call Julie Stratton, Director of Resource and Church Relations at 419-369-4715.