The Rouse Home hit a little milestone last Monday as the facility opened the first of eight household units.

The project, which began in October, will create a household atmosphere with a separate kitchen and dining area in each unit.

"We got a grant last year," said Jasen Diley, CEO of the Rouse Estate.

The grant was through the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP), awarding the Rouse Estate will $1.9 million for the project.

By having a dining area in each unit, Diley said, the services are less structure. So if a resident is not an early riser and wishes to have coffee and toast at 10 a.m., the new arrangement caters to that desire.

"We want to make it more homey for the residents," said Cindy Walters, Rouse Home administrator.

Walters and other administrators have presented information about the household unit concept at national conferences.

Before undertaking the project, the Rouse Home already had a secured household unit for residents suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's.

The benefits of a the household unit range from reduced transition time to a main dining hall, increased interaction between care staff and the residents' families and more interaction between the families of various residents.

"It also improves their eating habits," Walters said.

The project has become a collaborative effort between the administration, residents and support staff.

Walters said the residents have been involved by helping select the paint for each hall. Each hall will have a theme selected by the residents.

For example, the 100 hall of the Rouse Home has selected a beach theme and will choose paint colors based on the new theme.

"Each unit will have a home-warming party, too," Walters added.

While operating business in a construction zone may seem difficult, Walters said the staff has experienced little problems and the residents are excited about the new changes.