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Page 20 — Health Care Properties Quarterly — January 2018
Senior Housing & Care
T his time of year, we often turn
our thoughts toward our health.
Yes, that includes protecting
ourselves from the flu and put-
ting snow tires on our vehicles,
but we’re primarily referring to
how our interior design approach
can impact senior living residents’
health and wellness. Not only that,
but we’re always thinking about
how smart design and sustainable
materials can impact the health and
future of our environment.
You may think that implement-
ing these types of design upgrades
would cost a fortune or delay your
project, or even be impossible to ret-
rofit within existing buildings. None
of this is the case. There are several
ways you can keep the health and
safety of your residents top of mind,
while also doing right by the envi-
ronment.
• Solid surface countertops. Already
prevalent in health care design,
solid surface countertop material
is becoming more and more popu-
lar in senior living environments.
That’s because they offer a smooth,
fully engineered and extremely
low-maintenance product that falls
somewhere between plastic lami-
nate and quartz
countertop mate-
rial in terms of
cost. There’s even
a new technology
with metallic ions
infused within,
which effectively
self-cleans, mean-
ing residents with
physical impair-
ments can rest
easier. Look for
brands like Corian,
Meganite and EOS.
• Photocatalytic
tile floors. Another health-conscious
product comes in the form of photo-
catalytic ceramic tile. Photocatalytic
technology uses a light-activated
process to promote antibacterial
properties on the tiles’ surface. Using
it on bathroom floors and walls and
in common spaces can help reduce
the spread of germs within an aging
and immune-sensitive community.
Active is one brand that manufac-
tures this type of antibacterial floor
and wall tiles.
• PVC-free flooring. Vinyl flooring
is known to contain the synthetic
plastic polymer PVC, or polyvinyl
chloride. Rather than use this form
of manmade plastic, some designers
prefer to use linoleum, which is both
natural and durable, and it is made
from renewable materials. For a more
modern look, however, PVC-free
floor tiles that mimic vinyl planks or
sheets are gaining popularity. These
utilize natural materials that are free
of PVC, chlorine and volatile organic
compounds. Unlike vinyl composite
tile, they don’t need to be waxed yet
they boast solid durability and anti-
static, anti-combustion properties
– plus, a subtle texture makes them
more slip-resistant for resident safe-
ty. One brand to look for is Upofloor.
• Quartz rather than granite or marble.
When designing countertops or other
stone features, eco-savvy designers
usually favor quartz, since it is an
engineered stone. It resembles gran-
ite or marble, but doesn’t need to be
mined from an Italian quarry, mak-
ing it more environmentally friendly.
Quartz also is incredibly strong, and
since it is created with resinous
binders, it is nonporous and there-
fore resists bacteria for lower main-
tenance and durability – ideal for
installation in senior living environ-
ments where low-maintenance, high-
quality and long-lasting products are
highly desirable.
As you move forward in 2018, con-
sider the ways in which your design
choices and small upgrades can
make a big difference when it comes
to resident health and environmental
impact. ▲
Julia Bailey
Senior interior
designer, OZ
Architecture,
Denver
Design choices can impact senior living residents’ health and wellness.
There are several ways you can keep
the health and safety of your residents
top of mind, while also doing right by the
environment.