![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1619653315304-OZLVYORD4AC3BWM4J0H2/4M5C4823.jpg)
Culture Change
Culture change is a process and movement of transforming traditional, institutional long-term care facilities, into true homes. It involves a change of environment, systems and attitude. It’s not just a change you can see, it’s a change you feel; a change elders feel as they direct their own lives and staff feel as they are empowered to help them do so.
Nursing homes are changing into personal communities households and neighborhoods, staffed by familiar caregivers who are there to assist residents as they live lives of meaning, value and joy. They have private spaces and family places and a chance to continue to live life with some measure of independence and responsibility. Led by human compassion and economic foresight, facilities are applying historically successful, common sense approaches to living and caring for elders. The result: long-term care communities where elders choose to live their lives with staff who enjoy assisting them.
These communities provide the best personal, health and medical services any community member, however frail, will need. Some have gone as far as giving each their own homey kitchen, dining room and living room, where staff and elders prepare and eat meals together. Each day is informal, like a day in our own homes, and results in a truly rewarding and satisfying daily life for elders and staff alike. It’s not home-like, it’s home.
Featured Stories
While each organization’s culture change journey and outcome are unique, study and exploration of other organizations’ struggles and triumphs on the journey can help build momentum and offer food for thought. Also, the sharing of stories helps everyone learn, grow, grapple with possibilities and celebrate. Here we share stories of homes that have embraced the goal of true home for elders and the many facets and stages of transformation.
![Households Continue a 150-year Legacy of Caring](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612919231035-8WKORTKIKC5INY456HPJ/story1.jpg)
Households Continue a 150-year Legacy of Caring
![One’s Home is One’s Cottage at Brushy Creek](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612919343352-Q89I2JNT5MNGZI2IB2JT/story2.jpg)
One’s Home is One’s Cottage at Brushy Creek
![Intensive Learning Gives Birth to Households](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612919659134-D6BKH40N3F8SCEMPS1Q3/story3.jpg)
Intensive Learning Gives Birth to Households
![Transformation Gives Impatient Author Hope](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612920095450-XO1W93IRMQZ14UPT0RC7/story4.jpg)
Transformation Gives Impatient Author Hope
![No More Excuses](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612920425517-1T3O0HPCRJY29VQ2IA48/story5.jpg)
No More Excuses
![Not Too Far Gone](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612920690532-1XWPOZ40LL3ZTO7912A4/story6.jpg)
Not Too Far Gone
![A Brand New Day](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612970407224-HZHOF5FKIGJO1SY2O6K0/story7.jpg)
A Brand New Day
![Physical and Organizational Changes Support Each Other](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612970624152-JOBDWFXXDLF6B1GY92LX/story8.jpg)
Physical and Organizational Changes Support Each Other
![Before and After](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612971476352-8XFM8BMNBFKSLGI6OO4Y/story9.jpg)
Before and After
![Other Regulatory Resources](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612971747972-U9X02CZ6UJNBDRSV40I6/story10.jpg)
Other Regulatory Resources
![Making Sense of Regulations](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612972559728-RI00UHMRWKS0W4G7UMQJ/story11.jpg)
Making Sense of Regulations
![Regulators Embrace Culture Change](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612972780867-VKONJF0HQLB2SAX0MUE8/story12.jpg)
Regulators Embrace Culture Change
![Customer Satisfaction](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612972992236-2W81R0EH9ODFH5IPYLW4/story13.jpg)
Customer Satisfaction
![“We Used To Be A Nursing Home…”](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612973247302-9RI61CBXFDEM7NN0KBNH/story14.jpg)
“We Used To Be A Nursing Home…”
![An Interview with Steve Shields](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612974296859-W66XWIS28P3DCAYKQXIZ/story15.jpg)
An Interview with Steve Shields
![The 3 R's: Reframing](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612974886016-4N4GN11KH8F5P9JQ35D0/story16.jpg)
The 3 R's: Reframing
![The 3 R's: Renovation](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612979271132-3UXH2AUZOFIQ5HEO7G1G/story17.jpg)
The 3 R's: Renovation
![The 3 R's: Renewal](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612979414943-32HLQSGY29H3R9H9K1L4/story18.jpg)
The 3 R's: Renewal
![Community](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612980463665-XBXNLCYV3L4CLN3OWMMH/story19.jpg)
Community
![Leadership](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612980638938-Z7OO3H4DNARKT0QQ2ZY0/story20.jpg)
Leadership
![Resident-Directed Care](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612980804739-3GX7XF0NPK6818Q3SUMV/story21.jpg)
Resident-Directed Care
![What’s Worth Knowing](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612981077298-LMFW3XQ26UQS69EYJOMK/story22.jpg)
What’s Worth Knowing
![The Duplex Planet](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612981531509-UJCMCU7ABUBUGP3M0C8U/story23.jpg)
The Duplex Planet
![Storytelling](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612981946311-DDMKYEPHZTIMOH74O7OY/story24.jpg)
Storytelling
![Silver Sage Village](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612982513349-QLYMCTQTMX6GI74TE69Z/story25.jpg)
Silver Sage Village
![ElderSpirit Community](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612982857571-SBP08Q1LY2PPEH29DG3V/story26.jpg)
ElderSpirit Community
![Building a Collaborative Elderhood](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6009e3d11dec1670530d2a95/1612983128517-6QA0CK9YVHLEYE5KT30Y/story27.jpg)