One of the most important parts of senior living design is balance. The provider has to create a community that will suit current markets while also being prepared for the future. Timelessness and longevity have to be emphasized for proper senior living design. Communities no longer use dated finish and do not design their spaces based on technology that can soon become obsolete. In order to be effective in senior living design, you need to create something that is going to last. Here are some tips to help you achieve just that.
1. Create Spaces with Multiple Uses
It is vital to maximize use while cutting back on the size of the community. This is why providers design spaces or rooms that can serve various different purposes. Many of the experienced and successful senior living design firms actually think of at least 3 uses for every single space. By doing this, flexibility is added and smart spaces are created. Whenever operators need to make changes, this can happen.
There are many ways in which this flexibility can be built in, like installing movable screens in floor tracks. These can be adjusted by the staff of the community and the residents. Spaces can easily be opened up or divided in order to serve various possible functions.
2. Use Convertible Units
So many providers now use convertible units with the purpose of adapting to changing needs for residents. This also helps respond to market demand shifts. Independent living communities are nowadays really popular but many of them are licensed as being assisted living communities. The idea is to allow aging in place. The provider practically builds in order to meet all requirements and codes for future assisted living needs. Basically, you have to plan ahead and convertible units can easily help with that.
3. Make Smart Interior Décor
In the past, many senior living spaces featured brash finishes, ornate guard rails and ugly wallpapers. This is no longer the case and providers shifted to using a timeless and neutral palette. During the eighties and the nineties design was different. What was seen as being great is simply seen as being horrible right now.
The best example of this is the carpet. Roll-down carpets were really popular in the past but now people prefer carpet squares. Operators actually love this since they can so easily replace carpets or break up floor routes and patterns whenever needed.
4. Carefully Choose Structural Elements
Load-bearing walls were really popular in the past but they do not offer the flexible design needed in senior living. A way around this is to use columns in place so that wall systems can be moved whenever needed. Providers have to minimize structural support and strategically locate plumbing so that the building can easily be converted in the future.
We have to remember the fact that cost is a barrier for proper flexible senior living design. Operators do not always have the funds needed to design true flexible spaces. However, as time passes, this is something that should be a priority.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
