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184 In Pursuit of the Sunbeam: A Practical Guide to Transformation from Institution to Household
every nursing home in America. The community should connect with
“People are so thirsty
for something different they likely will see your organization’s contribution to the community in a new light and welcome your vision with broad appreciation.”
“Architects and designers must become part of the organizational dialogue.”
“The development team must become part of the discovery process
in partnership with
the organization and its stakeholders.”
your new image that actively depicts a good life being fully lived.
One Household Model organization aired a television commercial showing elders drag racing with their electric carts. Another culture change organization has a video of elders scaling trees. Another highlights romance. These commercials aren’t just making up things; they actually happen.
Conceptual renderings made during the design process put you in a great position to take your vision beyond traditional stakeholders to the broader community. Telling the story of your organizational and cultural transformation with drawings in hand makes for a powerful message. Speak to civic organizations, churches and anybody who will listen. You may be surprised at their reactions when they hear your vision and its potential social impact. People are so thirsty for something different they likely will see your organization’s contribution to the community in a new light and welcome your vision with broad appreciation. The message is one of home and life well lived.
As our friend Rose Marie Fagan of the Pioneer Network says, “It’s about rampant normalcy.”
Make Development Team Part of Organizational Dialogue
Architects and designers must become part of the organizational dialogue. They must be ready to revisit design issues that need rethinking as the process evolves. If they are experienced in Household Model design, they can prompt staff to continually question which habits to leave behind and what patterns of behavior to support. If not, they will struggle with what feels like lack of decisive direction from the organization.
Many architects and consultants are practiced at giving clients that for which they ask. Conversely, providers often yield to the development team’s expertise with the mindset of “do it for us,” as previously mentioned. In the context of the Household Model, the development team must be part of the discovery process in partnership with the organization and its stakeholders. Consequently, they become integral with the cultural process that the organization attempts to establish through high involvement and deep sense of partnership. Giving the client “what they ask for” or “doing it for them” limits success, whereas participating with all parties in high involvement discovery expands everybody’s vision and will more likely result in a very successful project.