Insights & Solutions

As part of the impact of aging toolbox, in this issue brief you will learn about the current state of aging and associated health conditions, the alignment between universal design and sustainable design strategies inspired by environments for aging, and universal design models that enable flexible and adaptable spaces to support aging needs and human needs.

Learn about: the homelike model for resident care Riverside Assisted Living Facility Administration wanted to apply, the full-scale mock-ups of the proposed living spaces that launched the project, and the ‘neighborhood’ concept that enables greater resident independence as well as safety.

Lorenz, S. G. & Dreher, H. M. (2011). Hospital room design and health outcomes of the aging adult. Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 4(2), 23-35.

Learn about: the importance of social health for older adults, the definitions and characteristics of select social behavior concepts, and design implications of social concepts.

Learn about: definitions of psychological concepts related to the designed environment, functions of personalization, privacy, wayfinding, and access to nature in meeting psychological needs, and design implications of personalization, privacy, wayfinding, and access to nature.

Learn about: the frequency and cost of falls among older adults, reasons older people fall and what can be done to prevent falls, and other safety concerns among older adults.

Learn about: activities necessary for independent living, the range of residential options for older adults, and the culture change movement that is transforming care environments for the aging population.

Learn about: the ways older adults are categorized by demographers, U.S. population projections and trends, and the ways growth in the aging population could affect the healthcare design industry.

Learn about: cognitive changes that occur with normal aging, the definition and stages of Alzheimer’s disease, and design interventions that can reduce negative behaviors characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.

For the 2014 cycle of the Facility Guidelines Institute's health care design guidelines, a brand new volume is being developed for residential and senior living facilities; entitled the Guidelines for Residential Care Facilities: Design & Construction of Health, Care, and Support Facilities. This guideline includes nursing homes, hospice, assisted living, independent living, adult day care, and wellness/diagnostic facilities. The vetted approach to the guidelines is to provide design information, as well as parameters for Authorities Having Jurisdiction to evaluate and incorporate culture change and resident-centered approaches to the residential-based care.