CREJ - Healthcare Properties - October 2017
Often, architects and designers 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 different challenge – and one that we must consider for designing successful 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, independence 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 connections between technology and aging populations, both in designing 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 microhousing movement. 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 efficiency in terms of environmental impact as well as simplifying day-to-day living. These spaces encompass elements like flip-up tables and tuck-away seating; pull-out drawers in kitchen pantries and closets; and rotating TV screens that can face different rooms at different times. Modular environments like these might be custom designed or premanufactured. And even at a size of 400 to 500 square feet, they can include extra clearance to accommodate wheelchair mobility. Additionally, micro-housing 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 tendency to be part of a surrounding 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 combatting loneliness and isolation, micro-units have a lot to offer in terms of offering interconnectivity without sacrificing independence. These types of settings offer both community integration as well as dignified privacy 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. Communities 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 – maintaining 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 everyday 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 ridesharing 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, especially within ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber, people will have more opportunities to get around without the need to drive themselves, 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 wheelchairs to easily roll into a car or shuttle with sliding doors and platform 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 contentment 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. Designing for the Future of Care Top of mind for many seniors is their quality of care as they age. Looking to the future, technology is playing a large part in how people access and receive health care. Telemedicine services offer seniors (and everyone) access to doctors and nurses from within their homes, which can be a big help to those for whom mobility can be a challenge. For residents with memory care needs, virtual reality integration is becoming a viable option for accessing memories. Through a pair of VR goggles, people can virtually experience places where they grew up, or locations of life events like honeymoons and family reunions. Much like music therapy helps connect people to memories via aural stimulation, connecting to memories through visual cues can be soothing for those in memory care situations. While innovation and creation may seem like terms reserved for youth, the future hinges on designing for the aging. The need to design communities, mobility options and amenities for an aging population will affect all of us in the coming decade, and embracing technology and innovation will help create thriving communities for us all.