CREJ

July 2021 — Health Care & Senior Housing Quarterly — Page 29 www.crej.com SENIOR HOUSING — DESIGN T he pandemic taught us a great deal about our senior living communities – from safety and functionality to a great appreciation for emo- tional and psychological effects on residents, staff and families. These new insights and awareness undoubtedly will help us change the way in which senior care facili- ties are designed, built and man- aged. Our team has met with our cli- ents, partners, aging adults and the caregivers of these residents to uncover design elements that could help answer important ques- tions that have arisen in response to COVID-19. This, in addition to my own personal “sleepover” experi- ence at a senior care facility, has resulted in new tools and impor- tant takeaways for designing more empathic and engaging senior liv- ing communities. Here are the top three highlights from our discussions with senior living developers, operators, design- ers, the residents and caregivers themselves, combined with my per- sonal experience as a “resident” at a senior care facility. n Lifting loneliness. Some seniors find that the life change of mov- ing into a senior living community results in feelings of loneliness and isolation. They may experi- ence less in-person interaction with peers and friends, loss of contact with outside family and a sense of monotony. Identifying these feel- ings and finding solutions to create more opportuni- ties for interaction and engagement are at the forefront of senior living design. One of the ways to mitigate isola- tion is through the use of technol- ogy, which was painfully evident during the past year. Senior living communities must have abundant infrastructure to support these growing technol- ogy needs, including telemedicine and monitoring capabilities that help determine when a caregiver is needed by a resident and easing the minds of residents knowing they have access to their medical provid- ers when and as needed. Enabling voice-activated technol- ogy, such as Amazon Echo (aka “Alexa”) and Google Home, allows residents assistance with many daily tasks, including light and tem- perature controls within resident units. In addition, opportunities for interaction with friends and family through technology such as FaceTime and videoconferencing technology can be enabled and inte- grated into daily living and design. n Promoting independence. Com- mon themes for older adults include navigating the new reality for basic needs and barriers to get- ting outside. We have the oppor- tunity to promote independence by integrating new systems such as touchless technology for fau- cets, toilet flush valves and lights that not only enhance safety mea- sures but also make the building more user-friendly for residents. Automatic door openers should be installed at all exterior doors to make the building more user- friendly for residents, with override capabilities to lock down as neces- sary for security. We know communal yet more intimate gathering and dining spac- es, natural lighting and allowing for some control and choice continue to play a large role in promoting independence and a sense of com- munity at the same time. n Improving immune-compromised design. Since the pandemic, we have a better idea of how quickly and easily viruses can spread and that staff safety equals resident safety. Physical changes to buildings are imperative to improving the quality and safety for residents and staff. Senior living changes: Lessons from the pandemic Gary Prager AIA, LEED AP Principal, Hord Coplan Macht W e design and will continue to design hospitality-level amenities because they have a place in our com- munities and the lives of seniors, but we also recognize that we can’t model a full and thriv- ing life around being on vacation. Meaningful longevity occurs in all of us when we stay engaged with the activities of daily living, and seniors just like anyone else need to have the purpose of playing a real role in their community. As architects and interior design- ers, we undertake projects that will serve the community for decades to come, which gives us a responsibil- ity to serve not only the resident of today but also the resident of tomorrow. In our work in senior living we always are striving for a deeper understanding of what the next generation of seniors expect and want in a community. We gain much of our insight from the leaders in the senior living world. Because, while we special- ize in senior living design and have for several decades, experts like Christian Living Communities CEO Jill Vitale-Aussem live it every day. We are currently working with CLC and its consultant Jon Fletcher, who works for Senior Housing Partners. Many of the ideas for this article came from our conversations with the two of them, so we want to give them credit for making our team better and more responsive. When I asked Fletcher about Vitale-Aussem’s concept of purpose over pampering, he said, “We aren’t trying to create a resort mentality at our communities. What we are trying to create is an opportunity for purposeful liv- ing because a few weeks after mov- ing in, people start to question, ‘What do I want to do now that gives me meaning?’” Like every age group, seniors are a diverse collection of individuals with unique definitions for what gives them meaning. Our challenge as designers is about finding common ground and building in flexibility in the building to empower caregivers to enable each resident to find pur- pose and place in the community. “We try to emphasize that the community isn’t the building, it’s the people within the building,” said Fletcher. “So when we talk about building community, we try to find ways to help residents create their own environment in a really sup- portive way. We find that many of our residents have great ideas; they just need support, and if that small idea takes off, then we can expand that idea by giving them access to the rest of the communities through our intercampus resources.” My first reaction to this statement was what an incredible challenge; our residents have been chefs and aviators, businesswomen and men and any number of professions. How can we engage all of them at a level that honors such a diverse skill set? The first answer will probably surprise you coming from an archi- tect. We can’t. At least not with the parts you might find in one build- ing; but thinking creatively there are answers! As Fletcher pointed out, opera- tors with diverse programming and deeply caring staff are critical, but what can we as architects, devel- opers and community leaders do to support them? While there are many answers, location, community integration, and a focus on health and wellness are three key enablers worth prioritizing in your next com- munity. Studies from Promatura, Ziegler and others show that each genera- tion of seniors has less and less of a desire to be isolated, and when we as building professionals and commu- nity leaders locate senior communi- ties in a central place in our neigh- borhoods, we are rewarding them and ourselves. Imagine local chefs teaching cooking classes, startup businesses consulting with industry veterans in the senior community, a swim team holding a swim meet at the senior community center or endless other possibilities. Locating our senior communities in the heart of our communities makes all these integration opportunities possible. As architects, we know each of these interactions requires a place to happen. So when we design com- Design spaces for seniors of today & tomorrow Bill Foster Associate principal, Lantz- Boggio Architects and Interior Design Please see Prager, Page 31 IRIS22 Productions LLC Outdoor amenities, such as patios and other gathering areas, can create a healthy space for residents to socialize, resulting in decreased loneliness. Please see Foster, Page 31 Michael Lowry Photography The wine room, lobby and bar of the Ridge Pinehurst