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Fixing U.S. nursing homes can often seem like an impossible task. Elders, families, caregivers, advocates, lawmakers, researchers, and even providers generally agree that our system is broken, but little has changed about long-term care since the emergence of nursing homes as the dominant model of eldercare in the 1960s.

Mission Possible will break through the barriers to change and present concrete ideas on how to improve eldercare services in the U.S. and around the world. Guided by a 2022 NASEM report on the state of nursing care, this podcast will build bridges between theory and practice, incorporating the voices of influential people from all facets of the sector – including clinical leaders, outspoken advocates, residents, caregivers, and investors.

Changing the status quo won’t happen overnight, but it’s far from impossible. Listen in to find out why improving the lives of elders is truly a Mission Possible.

Mission Possible is a joint production of The Center for Innovation (The Green House Project/Pioneer Network), the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, and AMDA.

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  2. Creating a Community of Care Where Elders Already Live

Apr 27, 2023

This week on “Mission Possible,” we step back from the U.S. to explore a unique model from the Netherlands. Thijs de Blok, CEO of Buurtzorg International, joins Anne Montgomery to discuss his organization’s mission to bring care directly to Dutch elders through a network of self-managed care teams.

Based on the belief that people thrive in their own communities, Buurtzorg relies on nearly 900 teams of nurses to provide direct care in elders’ homes – all without managers, and all consisting of no more than 12 individual members.

The idea, according to de Blok, is to provide a seamless combination of formal and informal supports that empower elders to stay connected to the people and activities they love, in the places they’ve always called home.

Tune in to learn more about this incredibly successful alternative to traditional communal care, and how the Buurtzorg principles could be adapted to work in the home, the community, and even new types of forward-thinking care communities.

Learn more about Buurtzorg: https://www.buurtzorg.com/about-us/