Newswise — Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital recently dedicated a new $31 million complex for long-term care residents that will completely change the face of elder care and set a new standard for excellence.
Called the Households at Levindale, the three-story building will add 87,000 square feet to the center's current footprint, and provide homes for 84 residents.
Each floor is divided into two households with 14 private bedrooms, each with their own private bathroom. A spacious country kitchen is located at the center of each household, just as the kitchen is the “heart” in most single family homes.
There are hearth areas with fireplaces and floor to ceiling windows, dens and short hallways to encourage walking, which can become difficult as a person ages. The entire building has wireless Internet access.
The two-story town center at the Households at Levindale features a rotating permanent exhibit from the Jewish Museum of Maryland, a synagogue, a gift shop, a café/pub and a grand piano. Outside, there will be a sensory garden, courtyards, patios and a playground for children.
“There will be nothing resembling an institutional feel at the Households at Levindale,” says Aric Spitulnik, president and COO of Levindale. “The model of care is resident-centered, which means it is based on the social and emotional needs of residents, rather than a medical model.”
Most nursing homes function on routine, which forces residents to do certain things at certain times. “At Levindale, residents will have control over their lives. They can enjoy breakfast at anytime during the day, and if they prefer to bathe in the evening instead of the morning, so be it,” adds Spitulnik. The first residents move in in January 2012.
To make this work, Levindale, staff members are being specially trained and new positions are being created. Both Eden Alternative and the Neighborhood Model are being used as guides. The former is a philosophy that infuses companionship, empowerment and spontaneity to make residents’ lives worth living. The later turns institutional buildings into comfortable, welcoming homes and gives residents the power to make choices about their daily activities.
Levindale is part of LifeBridge Health, one of the largest, most comprehensive providers of health services in northwest Baltimore, which also consists of Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Northwest Hospital Courtland Gardens Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and related subsidiaries and affiliates.
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