Care entrepreneurs offer innovative residential care concept in Huize Molenveld

In January 2023, Huize Molenveld in Weert opened its doors. With this care home, a long-cherished wish of care entrepreneurs Ilse Greefkens and Frenk Niesten came true. Bouwen aan de Zorg asked them to take stock. 

"Beyond expectations! We were naturally super motivated to get started. The daily practice is so varied that no two days are the same. Also nice is that we know all our residents and their social network well and that we stand between our staff and volunteers. Furthermore, the lines of communication are very short, allowing us to respond quickly to needs. When we were still salaried, that was sometimes different."

"Especially in the beginning, we faced a lot of bureaucratic regulations and had to deal with a lot of red tape. We expected that too, but not to this extent. We were also worried about whether we would be able to attract enough employees. Those concerns fortunately turned out to be unfounded because in a very short time we grew to sixty employees."

"Yes, in general the residents are very satisfied. We can prove that, because on ZorgkaartNederland, an initiative of the Dutch Patients Federation, we score a 9.5, which is exceptionally good. This mainly looks at issues such as treatment, quality of care, food and drink, cleaning and the (welfare) activities offered."

"From the very beginning we have been welcomed with open arms. Through the neighborhood council of Fatima, we are also known and involved in everything. The great thing is also the multicultural character of this neighborhood where the residents - with respect for each other's origins, customs and beliefs - live together in good harmony. This multicultural character is a reflection of today's society; for example, we also employ several staff members with different cultural backgrounds. For us and our residents, this is a matter of course."

"What is innovative is that our residents, regardless of their care indication, live together and live with each other. Whereas in other nursing homes people with dementia are often housed in a separate ward, with us these residents simply live together with residents with physical disabilities. Also, every resident can go outside 24 hours a day. So unlike many other nursing homes, we don't have a locked front door."

"Originally, this work of art with five reliefs by Charles Eyck stood on the facade of Smeets printing company, elsewhere in the Fatima neighborhood. In the meantime, however, Smeets Printing Company, later known as Roto Smeets, ceased to exist. Because we felt that this cultural heritage should not be lost, a few years ago we approached the Municipality of Weert to place the artwork in the front yard of our care home. There the artwork now stands in a highly visible spot and with a historical connection to its surroundings."

"To connect even more with this fantastic neighborhood and its residents, we would like to start providing our own (bridging) care to residents on the waiting list. This could include home care by our employees and participation in day care to help residents get used to staying in our care home."

"Check carefully with yourself whether the motivation to become a healthcare entrepreneur is the right one. What is your vision of healthcare and what do you want to add to the current offerings? What do you want to do differently or better? By the way, when talking about healthcare, the word entrepreneur often has a somewhat negative connotation. People are quick to say that care entrepreneurs take advantage of the vulnerability of the elderly and make a lot of money from it while not delivering what should be delivered. So make sure you stand out from these so-called care cowboys. For example, to ensure the quality of care, we have entered into a partnership with Proteion; called Powered by Proteion."

"Yes, what we see is that more and more elderly people are coming with a care requirement to be able to live safely with care in close proximity. Preferably in their own village or neighborhood, so that their social network is preserved and people can continue to receive medical care from their own family doctor. In our view, large nursing homes therefore no longer have a future, with the exception of nursing homes specialized in specific diseases. As a result, more and more small care homes like Huize Molenveld will emerge."