A Capabilities Approach to Environmental Impact on Nursing Home Resident Quality of Life
2017
Research in Gerontological Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 10
Pages 162-170
Author(s): Thurman, W., Harrison, T. C., Blozis, S. A., Dionne-Vahalik, M., Mead, S.
Added August 2017
Security Implications of Physical Design Attributes in the Emergency Department
2016
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 9
Pages 50-63
Author(s): Pati, D., Pati, S., Harvey, T. E.
In this paper, the authors consider “security” a subset of “safety,” and note that security is imperative for providing efficient patient care, especially in emergency departments (EDs). Security is defined as the protection of people and property, while safety is defined as the broader concept of delivering patient care.
Added September 2016
Effects of an Assisted Living Facility Specifically Designed for Individuals with Memory Disorders: A Pilot Study
2014
Journal of Housing For the Elderly
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 28
Pages 399-409
Author(s): Springate, B. A., Talwar, A. K., Tremont, G.
A 2007 study estimated that 14% of individuals over the age of 71 have dementia, and many of those individuals require some level of support with daily life. Furthermore, many of these individuals eventually move to assisted living (AL) facilities or nursing homes as they begin to require more assistance. Many people choose AL facilities due to pricing or the desire to be assisted rather than nursed. Previous studies have indicated that the physical environment of nursing homes can influence the overall well-being of residents with dementia. However, relatively few studies have assessed the effects of AL facility environments on the well-being of dementia patients.
Added June 2016
Design in mind: eliciting service user and frontline staff perspectives on psychiatric ward design through participatory methods
2016
Journal of Mental Health
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 25
Pages 114-121
Author(s): Csipke, E., Papoulias, C., Vitoratou, S., Williams, P., Rose, D., Wykes, T.
Previous studies have shown repeatedly that the physical design of psychiatric wards has a significant impact on patient recovery and well-being. It has also been found that staff and patients often express conflicting expectations regarding the design of psychiatric wards. Therefore, it is important to better understand different stakeholder perceptions of the same environment so that the most effective design decisions can be made. One possible way of doing this would be using the “SURE model,” which is a participatory method involving collaborations with service users during all stages of the study.
Added June 2016
Understanding Green Building Design and Healthcare Outcomes: Evidence-Based Design Analysis of an Oncology Unit
2016
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Journal Article
Author(s): Campion, N., Thiel, C. L., Focareta, J., Bilec, M. M.
The United States healthcare industry is a major part of the economy as well as a significant contributor to carbon dioxide emissions and other environmental issues. Green building design (GBD) attempts to offset environmental impacts of buildings, and recently designers have been combining GBD with evidence-based design (EBD) in order to create facilities that positively impact both the external and internal environment.
Added June 2016
Route complexity and simulated physical ageing negatively influence wayfinding
2016
Applied Ergonomics
Journal Article
Author(s): Zijlstra, E., Hagedoorn, M., Krijnen, W. P., van der Schans, C. P., Mobach, M. P.
In this study, “wayfinding” is defined as determining and following a path or route between an origin and a destination. Wayfinding can be particularly difficult in complex and sometimes stressful environments like hospitals, and as hospitals continue to expand to meet increasing healthcare demands, their layouts face the possibility of becoming more difficult to navigate. Wayfinding is particularly difficult for the elderly, who may have memory issues and weakened physical abilities. Support from the environment is necessary to help elderly people function at their best, so it is important to understand what elements of the designed environment either benefit or confuse them.
Added May 2016
Room for caring: patients' experiences of well-being, relief and hope during serious illness
2015
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 29
Pages 426-434
Author(s): Timmermann, C., Uhrenfeldt, L., Birkelund, R.
The positive impact of pleasing hospital aesthetics, both in terms of uplifted moods and improved health outcomes in patients, has been documented and discussed throughout history. From ancient Greeks to Florence Nightingale to modern evidence-based health design, the belief that the hospital environment itself, apart from its technical and clinical abilities, actively contributes to the healing process has resurfaced repeatedly. Despite this, scarcely any empirical research has been done to show how seriously ill patients personally experience their hospital rooms, and what these experiences mean to them during the healing process.
Added December 2015
Space, Choice and Control, and Quality of Life in Care Settings for Older People
2006
Environment and Behavior
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 38
Pages 589-604
Author(s): Barnes, S.
In Britain, residential care and nursing homes for elderly patients have been subject to changing design regulations over several decades. These regulations take into account the “gradations of space” allotted to patients, meaning the extent to which the buildings themselves provide public, semiprivate, and private spaces for the patients.
Added December 2014
Dementia Care Redesigned: Effects of Small-Scale Living Facilities on Residents, Their Family Caregivers, and Staff
2010
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Journal Article
Issue 9
Volume 11
Pages 662-670
Author(s): Verbeek, H., Zwakhalen, S. M. G., van Rossum, E., Ambergen, T., Kempen, G., Hamers, J. P. H.
Small-scale environments are increasing in popularity for the care of dementia patients. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this strategy.
Added September 2014
Community-Based Versus Institutional Supportive Housing: Perceived Quality of Care, Quality of Life, Emotional Well-Being, and Social Interaction
2011
Journal of Applied Gerontology
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 30
Pages 275-303
Author(s): Robison, J., Shugrue, N., Reed, I., Thompson, N., Smith, P., Gruman, C.
Numerous options for residential supportive housing are available for people who need long-term care. Some options are categorized as institutional while others are designated community-based; the movement to rebalance the long-term care system emphasizes the latter category. This study examines the experiences of 150 residents of two types of community-based supportive housing-assisted living (...
Added September 2014
