There is a lack of research that examines impact of the designed environment on the experience of older adults and their families in healthcare settings.
The objective of this paper was to investigate the physical environment of a geriatric psychiatry unit to understand how it meets the needs of patients with mental health conditions.
Ethnographic methods (observations and interviews) were utilized with a sample population of seven elder patients who were diagnosed with depression, dementia, or both, along with four family members. Researchers conducted a total of 20 hours of observation over a three-month period. A systematic thematic analysis was conducted on the data.
Four interrelated themes of environmental qualities emerged as central in promoting healing: therapeutic, supportive of functional independence, facilitative of social connections, and personal safety and security.
The small sample and exploratory nature of the study limit the generalizability of the results.