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October 2017 — Health Care Properties Quarterly — Page 21
Senior Housing & Care
O ften, architects and design-
ers working on residential
or specialty care designs
think about what people
need today. But thinking
into the future, to what residents
will need and want five, 10 or 20
years down the road, adds a dif-
ferent challenge – and one that we
must consider for designing suc-
cessful living spaces in the near
term.
Indeed, the future isn’t far away.
Baby boomers – the demographic
group born during post-World War
II (approximately between 1946-
1964) are approaching retirement
and considering what their lives
will look like as they age. Housing,
mobility and care are top of mind
for these and other aging seniors.
As architects and designers, we
must ask ourselves: How can we
create environments, products and
services that enable mobility, inde-
pendence and quality of life as we
age?
One way is to shift our perception
of the future of design to imagine
ways in which we can forge con-
nections between technology and
aging populations, both in design-
ing a more accessible and a more
efficient built environment – at
home, with transportation, and
with regards to care.
Designing Efficient Senior
Housing on a Micro Scale
When we talk about efficient
senior housing, we often come
back to the ideals and values of the
popular micro-
housing move-
ment. Rather
than occupying
sprawling mega-
mansions, we’re
seeing a gradual
shift toward
smaller spaces
that are compact,
yet accessible.
With regard to
senior living, there
are many benefits
to living in small
spaces that feel
more like a home than merely a
room.
• Efficiency. Designing small
spaces for seniors involves effi-
ciency in terms of environmental
impact as well as simplifying day-
to-day living. These spaces encom-
pass elements like flip-up tables
and tuckaway seating; pull-out
drawers in kitchen pantries and
closets; and rotating TV screens
that can face different rooms at
different times. Modular environ-
ments like these might be custom
designed or premanufactured. And
even at a size of 400 to 500 square
feet, they can include extra clear-
ance to accommodate wheelchair
mobility. Additionally, micro-hous-
ing units often are designed with
sustainable utilities and energy-
saving elements that demonstrate
environmental stewardship, while
also meeting the needs of an aging
population.
• Community. One of the benefits
of compact spaces is their ten-
dency to be part
of a surround-
ing community.
Both standalone
tiny houses and
micro-units within
a larger building
are often grouped
into communities,
whether under
the same roof or
de-clustered in a
“village” setting.
In terms of com-
batting loneliness
and isolation,
micro-units have
a lot to offer in terms of offering
interconnectivity without sacrific-
ing independence. These types
of settings offer both community
integration as well as dignified pri-
vacy that allow seniors to live their
lives and nourish both platonic and
romantic relationships.
• Independence. While different
residents require different levels
of care, the idea of maintaining
independence as long as possible
resonates with many. Communi-
ties of micro-units can be designed
with amenities geared toward the
aging, such as physical therapy
and assisted-living nursing care. As
smart home technology develops
– think smart lighting and voice-
command technology – maintain-
ing independence becomes even
easier. In fact, there are many ways
in which artificial intelligence can
be used to aid nurses and assisted-
living professionals to make every-
day tasks easier for them and the
residents. This could be something
as simple as robotic technology to
help turn on the lights or adjust
the thermostat.
Designing for the Future of
Transportation
The future of transportation is
a timely topic. As transportation
options like light rail and ride-
sharing increase, and options and
space for parking decreases, people
of all ages are feeling less of a need
to own their own vehicles. With
autonomous vehicle technology
becoming more common, espe-
cially within ride-sharing services
like Lyft and Uber, people will have
more opportunities to get around
without the need to drive them-
selves, which is a good thing for
limited-mobility seniors or those
who no longer drive. Technology
also is being developed to enhance
opportunities for those in wheel-
chairs to easily roll into a car or
shuttle with sliding doors and plat-
form extensions, eliminating the
need for help getting in and out of
a wheelchair.
Driverless cars can go a long
way in promoting independence
and the freedom of mobility – two
aspects of senior living that are
crucial to happiness and content-
ment as people age. The ability to
access transportation and be part
of the surrounding community
can lift people out of isolation and
improve quality of life.
Site selection
Development
Real Estate Investment
Energy Planning & Analysis
Facility Assessment
Facility Operations and Maintenance Planning
Healthcare Construction <$1M - $500M +
UCHealth Eye Center
Saint Joseph Hospital
Poudre Valley Hospital NICU
Lutheran Medical Center CU Sports Medicine & Performance Center
Julia Bailey
Senior interior
designer, OZ
Architecture,
Denver
Jami
Mohlenkamp
Principal, OZ
Architecture,
Denver