Otterbein Maineville Celebrates “Small House” Week

Maineville, OH – Last week, May 10 through May 16 was National Nursing Home Week. However, for Otterbein Maineville Skilled Nursing and Rehab Neighborhood it was “Small House Week”. National Nursing Home Week (NNHW) is a way for today’s care communities to proactively communicate that skilled care centers are light years ahead of what may be thought of as a stereotypical nursing home. NNHW is meant as a rallying point and way to foster a positive attitude toward care in long term and post-acute care centers.

Otterbein Maineville took NNHW a step further in breaking down stereotypes by renaming their celebration to  fit their unique model. The small house model is designed to deinstitutionalize nursing care.

“We are not a ‘nursing home’ or a ‘facility’ we are just a home, a residential home for all our elders,” said Guide Jeff Eyrich. “We don’t use the term ‘nursing home’ because it brings to mind institutional care.”

Small houses are not designed from a hospital approach, like many nursing homes are. The neighborhood includes five small houses in a residential setting. Each small house is home to 10 residents, and each includes private suites, a large communal living room, dining and kitchen area with home-cooked meals, a schedule that is up to the resident, and rehab care that is exceptional, all in a home-setting close to everything residents need.

Small House Week at Otterbein Maineville consisted of daily activities and celebrations. There was a car wash and cookout, leadership breakfast, elder prom, carnival, and a screening of “Alive Inside”. All elders and partners enjoyed the week long celebrations bringing attention to a new and innovative model and philosophy in the field of aging.