Earlier this year, Vernon Homes Assistant Administrator Sabrina Krafchuk completed the intensive five-day Green House Educator Training in New Orleans—an important milestone as Vernon Homes prepares to adopt the Green House model.

For decades, senior living has followed a one-size-fits-all approach—often prioritizing efficiency over the human experience. Vernon Homes, in partnership with AgingIN and The Green House Project, is changing that. Through small-home, person-centered communities, seniors can now age with dignity, independence, and meaningful connection. This collaboration is redefining what it means to thrive in retirement, setting a new standard for compassionate, innovative eldercare.

The Green House Project is redefining what it means to age with dignity. Partnering with Vernon Homes, this innovative model replaces institutional nursing care with small, home-like settings that empower residents, support caregivers, and create real communities rooted in respect, comfort, and connection.

Proposed federal legislation could transform nursing home care nationwide. The IMPROVE Nursing Homes Act (H.R. 8677) would fund the development of small-home communities with private rooms, outdoor access, and elder-directed care—closely aligned with the Green House model being built at Vernon Homes.

As the federal government commits to increasing private rooms and phasing out multi-bed wards, the Green House Project model gains national momentum. Vernon Homes is proud to lead Vermont’s first Green House community, creating real homes where elders thrive in comfort, dignity, and connection.

The Green House Project’s universal caregiver model, praised by AARP as a forward-thinking solution to today’s nursing home staffing crisis, transforms elder care into a true home setting. Empowered teams, known as shahbazim, provide personalized care, build deeper relationships, and deliver better outcomes—proving there’s no place like home for aging with dignity.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Green House communities demonstrated remarkable resilience — reporting less than half the infection rates and under a third of the deaths seen in traditional nursing homes. The reason is both structural and social: smaller household sizes, consistent staffing, and private rooms limit exposure, while strong, family-like relationships foster emotional well-being. The Green House model proves that when care feels like home, both safety and human con

Outdated regulations and funding models keep traditional nursing homes locked in an institutional past. To create real homes that honor dignity and autonomy, policymakers must update rules to encourage small-home development, reward innovation, and expand home-based care options. The Green House Project model offers a proven path forward — replacing impersonal facilities with warm, empowering communities where elders truly thrive.

The revolution grows stronger by the day as new Green House communities are being planned and built. Not only do Green Houses meet the fundamental desires of families that want a real home with real relationship for their loved ones, they also have proven better at protecting seniors during t he Covid-19 pandemic.   To date, there are 359 Green House homes in 32 states. Here are some of the new communities in the works or recently built. Methodist Senior Services Their new Gr

HEALTH AFFAIRS VOL. 40, NO. 3: NURSING HOMES, COVID-19 & MORE | By Rob Waters   Photograph courtesy of the Green House Project Staff:  Unlike the workforce at traditional nursing homes, the Green House staffing structure is flat. A small group of universal workers licensed as certified nursing assistants, the shahbazim, work in just one cottage and engage closely with ten to twelve residents. The Green House model is quoted as being "a uniquely human form of housing and care

During the pandemic, Green House homes proved safer and more resilient than traditional nursing homes. Backed by UNC research, this video shows how the Green House model was truly built for this moment.

The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association found that residents of Green Houses and other smaller nursing homes (NH) are less likely to contract or die from COVID-19 than residents of larger facilities.

For many years, families have been concerned about placing loved ones in traditional nursing homes and have sought alternatives. The Green House model, begun by The Green House Project in the early 2000s is one that has been adopted across the country and has provided a real-home alternative.

As featured in Senior Housing News, industry leaders highlight how small-house senior living communities—like The Green House Project—proved more resilient during Covid-19. With fewer residents, private rooms, and adaptable care models, these innovative homes offer a safer, more personal future for elder care.

We are in the process of transforming our Vernon campus into a new model of elder living based on the nationally recognized Green House Project. We will replace our current facility with residences more like the homes our residents spent their lives in.

Momentum Is Accelerating At Our Vernon Campus As Planning Continues Towards Our Long-Held Vision For A Revolutionary Nursing Home Model.