CELEBRATING TWENTY YEARS OF CHANGE IN ELDERCARE
Methodist Senior Services celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first Green House ® Home ever built in Tupelo, Mississippi with three TaleGate events.
THE PROBLEM
There was a time when silver hair meant wisdom and knowledge and, even, joy. Elders were to be respected, protected and loved. Unfortunately, it seems that commitment has faded and those from generations before are often forgotten, ignored or locked away.
THE SOLUTION
Enters Methodist Senior Services (MSS). Their answer? The Green House ® Home. Based on the Eden principles of Dr. William Thomas, the Green House ® concept seeks to deinstitutionalize nursing home life and give elders the experience of home while still receiving the care they need.
Twenty years ago, this revolutionary approach to elder care was introduced by Methodist Senior Services on the Traceway Retirement Community in Tupelo, Mississippi. The Green House ® Homes are a different kind of care designed as small homes with dedicated outdoor space, a great room or hearth area, an open-concept kitchen and each elder has a private room and bath for privacy. Most importantly, the Green House® Homes creates an environment for elders to continue to thrive, enjoy life and where each person is deeply known and valued.
It didn’t take long for this innovative concept to catch fire in the industry. Organizations from all over visited Tupelo to see firsthand the Traceway homes. Soon the Green House movement was popping up across the United States, including Yazoo City, Mississippi. Offering various styles of services, ranging from assisted living to full skilled nursing care, Green House ® Homes offer a comfortable alternative to traditional settings. The Martha Coker Green House ® Homes are part of nearly 400 Green House ® Homes now operating throughout the world, MSS believes this change in eldercare is something to celebrate.
THE CELEBRATION
After twenty years of service, it’s time to celebrate the anniversary of the FIRST Green House® Home ever built! Methodist Senior Services is planning to celebrate this landmark occasion with “TaleGate” events across Mississippi. These celebrations will be held at three locations marking significant anniversaries for the Green House ® Homes on those campuses.
Traceway Retirement Community (Tupelo, MS) – 20th Anniversary of the FIRST Green
House ® Home: April 20, 2023 – Noon -3 PM
Martha Coker Green House ® Homes (Yazoo City, MS) – 15th Anniversary of Green House ®
Homes: April 24, 2023 – Noon -3 PM
Seashore Highlands Retirement Community (Gulfport, MS) – 10th Anniversary of the
Community that boasts the FIRST Green House ® Home on the Mississippi Gulf Coast: April 26,
2023 – Noon -3 PM
MSS has partnered with Jack York from It’s Never Too Late elder learning systems to host the TaleGate events. The TaleGate parties will roll out the red carpet in honor of the remarkable lives of older adults and celebrate the revolutionary Green House ® Home care settings designed to promote dignity and empowerment. Make your plans to join the celebration today. Two decades of changing the lives of elders. www.mss.org
A Meaningful & Empowered Life: A Message for the MSS Team and Elders
As Methodist Senior Services celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first Green House ® Home, MSS leadership salutes the core values that have defined MSS service from the beginning. The words “safe, secure, supported and loved” encompass the MSS vision and also sum up the commitment to create a sense of belonging for those living and working in the home. A warm home is a welcoming place of comfort, safety and refuge. The Green House ® Home model embraces each individual with opportunity for continued growth and development.
Methodist Senior Services: A Company on a Mission
Methodist Senior Services has a 60-year-old tradition of providing housing and services to older adults in Mississippi. It has one mission: to serve older adults in the spirit of Christian love. Its approximately 1,000 employees and 1,600 volunteers make that mission the organization’s prime focus. Today, MSS serves more than 1,700 elders in our 12 statewide campuses offering affordable apartments, personal care/assisted living, the Green House ® Homes and skilled nursing care. For more information concerning MSS, please visit the website at www.mss.org.
