“Our purpose is to meet the total needs – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – of the older person, to offer a secure environment, a sense of dignity, and to help him/her retain his/her life style.”

This is the original purpose statement written by the founding fathers of Green Hills Community. In 1972 they had this vision for their senior citizen village. They wanted their elder loved ones to age in a place like home, with dignity and was focused on their entire well-being.

Wow, that is what every aging services provider strives for today. Some are good at it, others are still striving to reach that goal and still others just don't get it. But Green Hills has been doing it for 40 years, and doing it well!

There is so much about the Green Hills story that is fascinating, but the fact that this group of pioneers had a vision that was so progressive is the most amazing. These folks weren't in health care or senior housing. They knew nothing about how these industries worked. Yet they wrote a purpose statement that holds up and is even still progressive 40 years later!

So you have to ask, why did they choose this purpose statement? That was not the language used back then in healthcare of senior housing. Perhaps it can be found in the belief statement they wrote at that same time. 

"We believe in a ministry to the aging for those whose personal needs we have special concern. We believe in a ministry with the aging as we seek to involve them as partners in the total program. We believe in a ministry of the aging in which their special gifts of maturity, understanding, vision, concern and experience are recognized and utilized." 

These folks didn't know the "rules" for senior housing or health care.  They simply knew what they wanted for their loved ones.  And they were right on.