Designing a Retirement Community or an Assisted Living Facility for Senior Citizens requires collaborative inputs from architects, caregivers, physical therapists, recreational therapists, food & beverage managers, senior living consultants and others.
Assisted Living homes are not just about brick and mortar, they are about safety, care, well-being and hospitality.
Whether it is a green field project or modifying & retrofitting any senior living project, the underlying ideology of “Future Proof Homes” is critical.
As we age our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs change. A house which is suitable for us when we are in our 40’s may not be suitable in our later years and/or the moment we develop limited mobility or require communal support facilities.
Unless we construct houses as per “Lifetime Homes Standards”, the chances of home modifications or relocation to senior friendly homes cannot be ruled out.
Research has proven that, a positive environment in a safe, secure and hassle free retirement community improves the overall health of elders besides increasing their life span.
It is important that developers & senior care operators should be aware & knowledgeable on the importance of design guidelines for senior housing otherwise the final product will basically be a sheep camouflaged as a lion.
Though each senior living project is unique in its own way however there are certain principles and space planning which do not change much. Area statement is of prime importance because it defines the recommended residential & communal areas per resident.
If the community areas are too large then the home may have an institutional look, on the other hand if the areas are too small then there could be overcrowding & confusion.
If the lighting in the units or in common areas are too dim then chances of elderly falls are higher, if it’s too bright it can be harmful to the eyes. Similarly if the gradient of the ramps are too steep then self use of wheelchair gets difficult besides chances of falling backwards & if it’s too gradual then the path may become too long & become financially unviable for developers.
Assisted living for elders is known by many terms across the globe. Be it Retirement Communities, Retirement Villages, Assisted Living, Extra Care Housing, generally they all have the same meaning.
It is always advisable to refer to country specific standards, policies, guidelines, norms, approvals, certification, accreditation on senior living design principles before getting the ready for construction drawings approved.
Resource guide “Design Principles for Extra Care Housing” by Housing Learning and Improvement Network (UK) is a good synopsis for designing housing with care for older people.
The document can be accessed on https://www.housinglin.org.uk/ or can be downloaded here (Design Principles for Retirement Communities) or can be viewed below