Whitney Benefits helps Green House meet deadline through $250,000 pledge to fund a partnership with Sheridan College

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The Joe and Arlene Watt Foundation has agreed to match donations dollar for dollar up to an additional $400,000 for Green House Living for Sheridan.

Click here for full press release.

By Cissy Dixon
The Sheridan Press
Opinion
February 8, 2010

To everyone who has a friend or family member who needs or may need elder care:

I first learned of about the Green House concept for elder care about eight years ago when my friend, Hank Songer, asked me to watch a video with her.  The video showed how the Green House model differs from traditional elder care, and it was heartwarming.

While the traditional nursing home model has worked, it is less than optimal in many cases.

A few key points:

• The core difference between a traditional nursing home where the focus is on tasks is that the focus is on building relationships with people in a Green House.
• Elders who had not been talking, eating or feeding themselves in nursing homes were, within a week of moving to a Green House, sharing stories and gaining weight. One woman even took a fork from her son, who thought he had to feed her, and began to feed herself.

Read More in the full article.

Last Tuesday our community celebrated the imminent success of building Green House cottages in Sheridan – places where the focus is on elders continuing their life journey with dignity and respect.

Gov. Dave Freudenthal flew in to be with us and cheer us on.  He echoed the sentiments of many of the more than 120 people attending the event – that this is an effort similar to a “barn raising.”

He commended our community for taking this on with a true Wyoming “can do” spirit.  We are the only location in the nation that is accomplishing this through the efforst of passionate citizens and not through an existing facility or institution.

Just one year ago our goal was to raise $3.3 million.  Today this goal has decreased to $812,000.  Even though this was one of the most difficult financial environments in near history, our dedicated fundraising team, led by Barbara Walter and Dr. Sy Thickman, did not give up.

One hundred percent of the board and task force have made substantial contributions in time and money.  They became involved because of their individual experiences with older loved ones and their anticipation of the future.

read more,  Kay Wallick, Center Stage

Governor touts project at fundraising reception:

By Kristen Salamon
The Sheridan Press
Wednesday, January 27, 2010

“I think this project is a harbinger of things to come for the treatment and perception of how people are supposed to spend their golden years,” Gov. Dave Freudenthal said at the Tuesday night’s Green House Living for Sheridan fundraising reception at Sheridan Country Club.

Full Article from Green House Living for Sheridan Fundraising Reception. (2MB)

By Kristen Salamon
The Sheridan Press
Friday, January 2010

Doug Osborn, president of Green House Living for Sheridan, announced earlier this week that the Wyoming congressional delegation signed a letter of support for the Sheridan project.

According to a Green House press release, a loan request was made to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Loan Program in late December for $4.7 million in long-term financing.

Read more in full article.

The Sheridan Press
From staff reports

Doug Osborn, president of Green House Living for Sheridan, announced in a press release Monday that the Joe and Arlene Watt Foundation on Dec. 10 approved a $400,000 grant to Alternative Elder Living Inc.  for the Green House Living for Sheridan project.

Robert Eberhart, president of the Watt Foundation, said the board agreed to commit the $400,000 in addition to its initial $100,000 in 2008 for a total commitment of $500,000 payable in minimum installments of $100,000 over five years.

Cost of the project is now $7.6 million, according to Green House Development Director Kay Wallick.

Osborn announced earlier this month that the estimated cost of building and opening four Green House cottages has been reduced from $9.7 million to $7.6 million due to lower construction costs and lower long-term financing rate than originally planned.

The new fundraising goal is now $960,000.  All fundraising and financing must be in place by March 31 to receive a $891,217 grant from the Wyoming Business Council for infrastructure.  If fundraising succeeds, project plans are to break ground next summer and open by 2011 at Cloud Peak Ranch west of Sheridan Memorial Hospital, according to Wallick.

(read more)

Printed in the Sheridan Press
Thursday, December 10, 2009
From staff reports

A sign describing the Green House Living for Sheridan project was placed at the former Maverick store location on Coffeen Avenue at Main Street Wednesday to celebrate progress at the Green House Cottages development.

Doug Osborn, president of Green House Living for Sheridan, announced this week that estimated cost of building and opening the grou Green House cottages has been reduced from $9.7 million to $7.6 million, due to lower costs of construction and a lower long-term financing rate than originally planned.

(read more)

Patric J. Murphy, Sheridan Press General Manager, Managing Editor, writes an editorial talks about Green House Living of Sheridan.

No doubt each of us has (or has had) a loved one who is aging and needs or may need more care than we can provide, and as I age, this issue of “aging” is becoming more real to me.

With that in mind, I write this week about the Green House Living project, whose supporters hope to make a reality in Sheridan in the coming years (the legal name for the project is Alternative Elder Living Inc. doing business as Green House Living For Sheridan).

(read more)

A culture change for the future of nursing home care

Thirty Sheridan residents boarded a Sheridan College bus last Tuesday, November 17th for a fun and important journey to Billings to tour the Green House cottages at St. John’s Lutheran Ministries. The purpose was to generate community support for the proposed Green House cottages in Sheridan. The building of these cottages will change the culture of long term care for elders. The Green House Living for Sheridan volunteers believe that actually seeing elders in this unique home setting is the best way to build the support that is needed so that it can become a reality in Sheridan.

After boarding the bus, participants enjoyed breakfast and an introduction to the day’s activities. Craig Johnson, who has received both critical and popular praise for his novels including The Cold Dish and Death Without Company, regaled the audience with Wyoming stories from his books and delightful anecdotes from his recent book tour in France.

The staff at St. John’s and the national Green House project greeted participants. A panel of St. John’s staff shared their perceptions about the differences between a Green House setting and a traditional nursing home. They stressed the importance of developing self-managed teams with the Shahbaz, universal workers who perform elder care as well as housekeeping, laundry, and cooking. The philosophy of the The Green House was reviewed by the national staff emphasizing the creation of intentional communities where the individuality of elders and staff is recognized; where autonomy and choice by the elders is honored; and where the quality of life is enhanced.

Everyone divided into six groups and toured the cottages. Twelve of the 30 Sheridan residents ate in the cottages in the shared dining room with the elders and the staff. The remainder had lunch with the national project staff and had rich discussion about the project.

The bus home provided everyone an opportunity to share their impressions about their experiences in the cottages, especially from those that had lunch in the cottages with the elders. The following were some of the comments shared: “there was a cohesiveness of people around the table”, “the setting was warm and welcoming”, “I was impressed with the private rooms and the individual expressions in each room—it feels like their home”, “The sparkle and interactions were lovely”, “the living area was filled with diversity and felt homey”. All in all, everyone believed that this is what all elders should experience at this point in their lives…it raises the level of care and the quality of life.

The challenge is now to share these messages with other Sheridan residents and to gather letters of support to show that this is indeed a community-wide effort.

END