CREJ

1 / 20

INSIDE
H ow can we better under-
stand the needs of those
living and working in senior
living communities to
improve their overall experi-
ence?
That was the challenge I under-
took recently in a career-changing
mission. It began with a unique
opportunity to transition into a dif-
ferent individual, with a new identi-
ty, to see the world through a unique
lens.
For 24 hours, I became a wheel-
chair-bound individual with the
following health conditions: mild
dementia, chronic obstructive pul-
monary disease and a fractured hip,
and I was to become a resident at a
local senior living
facility – a project
I had designed five
years prior.
My undercover
experience provid-
ed a glimpse into
“a day in the life”
as I was admitted
as a resident into
the skilled nurs-
ing community. I
was able to witness
firsthand if the
community design
was as functional
in real life as it has
been designed on paper and, more
importantly, to experience how the
design impacted the residents, staff
and visitors on a daily basis.
The purpose for my investigation
was four-fold:
1) To realize how the design of a
community affects the emotional
experience of residents and their
ability to traverse the community.
2) To understand the difference in
how building codes and accessibility
requirements impact daily living for
not only able-bodied residents but
also those wheelchair bound.
3) To understand the engagement
aspect for residents at the commu-
nity for activities and spontaneous
socialization.
4) To discover if the design fulfilled
the specific needs of the medical
and administrative staff. Did the
community make their work easier
or more difficult, and how?
A day in the life
During my drive from Denver to
the community, my mind was filled
with nervous anticipation, as I didn’t
know what to expect for the next
24 hours. My mind also raced with
emotion imagining how a genuine
resident might feel in this moment
about the enormous change at hand.
I arrived at the community with a
co-worker who would document my
experiences but from a different per-
spective – as an “able” participant.
For 24 hours, Gary Prager became a wheelchair-bound resident of a local senior living facility – a project he had designed five years prior.
Gary Prager,
AIA, NCARB,
LEED AP, CDT
Principal, Hord
Coplan Macht,
Denver
Undercover architect