FURNITURE, INTERIORS & DESIGN
continue with purposeful everyday activities such as cooking or laundry is important.
FURNITURE AND FURNISHINGS
The choice of furniture inside bedrooms and communal areas is similarly important, and should be chosen on the basis of supporting better health for the resident, and simplifying maintenance and cleaning for care home staff. For the individual, high-back chairs support the spine, encourage good posture, and, along with suitable armrests, can aid a person in getting in and out of the chair. Low legs create stability and reduce shadowing underneath, which can be perceived as holes, giving people a sense of safety and security.
Furniture in contrasting tones and colours to walls and flooring will help people safely identify and use the chairs or tables in their reach. Blueleaf’s designs use high tonal contrast and a range of colour options. Based on the light reflective values (LRVs) of different fabrics, the clever use of tonally contrasting armrests, piping, and handles makes it easier for residents to distinguish them from the chair's body when sitting down.
For ambience and easy cleaning aſter accidents, a mix of ordinary upholstery fabrics and vinyl covers that blend together are excellent for eliminating the impression of institutional living and maintaining the dignity of individuals. Today, clever fabrics are waterproof, hygienic and compliant with health and safety standards.
KEEPING TWO FEET ON THE FLOOR
People with dementia oſten have difficulty processing and interpreting what they see. As people age and their eyesight fades, colours become less distinct and depth perception is lost.
Lighting can therefore be used to minimise shadows on the floor which residents may misinterpret as holes in the ground and become worried that they may trip and fall. It can also help highlight chairs and tables so that residents can find them more easily.
“Good design can support residents to maintain their
independence, sense of self-worth and slow their cognitive decline.”
There are various types of floorcoverings which are suitable for different areas around the care home. The Department of Health recommends matt flooring to promote movement and independence.
Vinyl and linoleum with a low-contrast wood effect have good non-slip finishes, which are soſt, safe for unsteady feet and easy to clean in kitchens, corridors, bedrooms and bathrooms. Rubber flooring is suitable in kitchens as it is both slip-resistant and, critically, fire-resistant. Carpets also absorb extraneous noise, which is less distracting for the hard-of- hearing or those who find it difficult to concentrate. Carpets
x.com/TomorrowsCare
are also warm, and ideal for areas where elderly residents are likely to sit for some time.
Shiny, slippery, heavily patterned flooring, wall coverings, and soſt furnishings can also present challenges and should be avoided to reduce residents’ anxiety and confusion. The floor colour should contrast with other surfaces so that residents can determine the distances they are travelling, and where the edges are.
MAINTAINING INDEPENDENCE
Carefully designed signs in corridors, or on cupboards can help maintain residents' independence, carefully guiding towards bathrooms, the dining area, and bedrooms or to where the tea and biscuits are stored in the kitchen.
Some people with dementia lose the ability to read; for others, English isn’t their first language, and the apparently universal male and female signs of circles with crosses and arrows are not understood by everyone. So, to be truly inclusive, pictures and symbols, which respect cultural and social differences, should be used, keeping the number of signs to a minimum so they are not intrusive or distracting. They should also contrast tonally.
Tonal contrast is the difference between how much light is
reflected from surfaces. LFVs between critical surfaces such as a wall and floor, or a step and its edge for instance, should have a difference of at least 30 points to help residents see and find their way. High tonal contrast between critical surfaces helps residents with ageing eyesight ‘see’ a room, distinguish between walls and floors, and find doors and handrails more easily so that they can confidently navigate around the home.
CONCLUSION
Modern design principles for a care home are based on five key outcomes: easing residents’ decision-making; reducing their anxiety; retaining their independence; encouraging daily living and social interaction; and keeping residents safe.
When it comes to refurbishing rooms, choosing a design scheme requires the involvement of the new residents, their families, and friends to create a familiar, welcoming, and practical ambience. Listening to the era in which they are living and incorporating small elements into their room will make them feel more at home and secure. Clever design elements will also maintain their cognitive abilities, independence, and dignity for longer.
www.blueleafcare.com - 19 -
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34
