The Small House Model of Long-Term Care: Association With Older Adult Functioning

Culture change (CC) initiatives, focused on improving life quality for older adults and supporting empowerment for direct care staff, have become increasingly normative in long-term care, and include key components of providing a home environment: individualized, person directed care; consistent staffing; and meaningful relationships.1 Although some nursing homes undertake individual CC components, there are comprehensive models that can be adopted. For example, the small house (SH) model in a skilled nursing home is a small intentional community of older adults who need nursing care and help with daily activities.