Case study – flooring
Care in a homely and luxurious environment
Ferrars Hall – one of County Court Care’s purpose built developments
Samantha Lord Interior Design was chosen to design the care environment. A carefully considered interior design scheme was felt to be essential in order to deliver homely accommodation and high quality personalised care to residents, including those living with dementia. The quality of the acoustic environment
is a vital component of good dementia friendly design, especially in busy social and circulation areas. Noise is regarded as a health and safety issue and should not interfere with normal domestic activities including sleep and rest. Noise is transmitted in buildings by both airborne and impact sound sources and UK building regulations require that both these noise types are controlled. People need to be able to hear well in
order to make sense of their environment and to function at the highest level possible. Hearing impairment can compound feelings of isolation and frustration and these feelings contribute to behavioural disturbance.1 It is essential that adaptations that
simplify and clarify the acoustic environment, and reduce discomfort and auditory ‘clutter’, are put in place. Good acoustics can actively contribute to ensuring that a person with dementia can communicate and remain included within the community within which they live, be that a care home, supported housing scheme or hospital care. Belonging and interacting are highly
dependent on communication, which in turn is highly dependent on hearing. In
Features of the carpet
l Prism fibre content enhances the colour of the carpet and minimises the visual effects of soiling and stains. It also includes mædical i-Link, an antimicrobial yarn treatment that kills micro-organisms when they come into contact with the carpet fibre and therefore helps with infection control
l An impervious membrane that stops surface spills reaching and contaminating the sub floor
l Sound absorption qualities that reduce noise reverberation times and create a therapeutic environment in which people can relax
l Designed to facilitate and withstand impact from walking aids to increase confidence in those who need assistance with walking.
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www.thecarehomeenvi ronment .com 31
addition, as hearing is linked to balance there is a greater risk of a fall, which can be devastating for an elderly person. Studies have shown that carpet, when compared with vinyl, can reduce injuries caused by trips and falls. It has also been proven that gait speed and step length is greater in older people walking on carpeted areas than those walking on vinyl.
Suitability UK Building regulations stipulate that a suitable floor covering should have a weighted reduction in impact sound pressure level of no less than 17 dB when measured in accordance with EN ISO 140-8 and calculated in accordance with EN ISO 717-2. Furthermore, the Stirling University Dementia Design Series guide ‘Hearing, Sound and the Acoustic Environment for People Living with Dementia’ states that the sound impact ratings should preferably exceed British standards. Samantha chose Danfloor carpet to
provide a luxurious look and feel as well as a practical and sustainable flooring solution. With its impervious foam backing and pile weight, carpet from the Equinox Collection achieves a reduction of transmitted impact noise of 29 dB, which far exceeds British standards and ratings offered by alternative hard flooring options.
Reference 1 Chapman A, Jackson G, MacDonald C.What Behaviour? Whose Problem?University of Stirling, Dementia Services Development Centre, 2007.
TCHE
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