Architecture & interior design
care, state-of-the-art facilities and home comforts.
Residential care settings are very rarely a place of positive choice. It is therefore really important to create care homes that meet the needs and expectations of residents and their families, maximise independence and safety, and also deliver person-centred care. Care home design is crucial in ensuring residents are happy, healthy and have a good quality of life. When designing and developing a care home, the needs of the people who will be living there must be considered during the design process, rather than just the building as a whole. This will ensure that the right care can be given to the right people at the right time, as good design can impact people’s lives in a number of positive ways. We recently carried out research into
what people really think about care homes and we found that almost half - 47 per cent - of Brits think of care homes as a home for older people, rather than just a place for care delivery. While this is extremely positive, if we are to increase this we need to consider how the construction and design of new care homes can impact traditional perceptions of residential care settings. Constructing care homes that feel like a home and offer a level of service beyond traditional care will appeal to the public and people considering a residential care setting. A range of facilities can create a feeling of homeliness, which also gives residents different destinations and activities to keep them busy and occupied. This can include cinemas, hairdressers,
Resident bedroom
One feature that really sets Vida Court apart is the central corridor for each home. Filled with sensory destinations, including an artificial blossom tree, bubble lamps, cloud ceilings, and tactile wall panels, the corridor can evoke memories as residents walk around
and coffee shops, all of which we have incorporated into Vida Court. This will also provide a level of continued normalcy which is vital, particularly when an individual has just moved to a care home or is living with dementia. Keeping the look and feel of a care home consistent will ensure that the environment looks the same and is familiar for any residents who have to move between homes, particularly if they are living with dementia.
Good design can also contribute to a
reduction in the guilt that families can feel about placing their loved one in a care home which is fantastic, as moving into a care home can be an extremely stressful time for everyone involved. An effectively designed and constructed care home will also have positive impacts on the staff that work there. A care home that has been designed with staff and residents in mind will have numerous opportunities for staff to socialise with residents and build strong bonds, which are particularly important when family members are unable to visit.
The surroundings of a well-designed care home will also support care providers in generating a positive workplace environment and workplace culture for staff, all of which will lead to low turnover, and high recruitment rates.
Hallway and sensory destination January 2022
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com
Architecture - Alan Powell, Den Architecture As director of Den Architecture, I have been involved in the design and development of two of Vida Healthcare’s care homes, Vida Grange and most recently, Vida Court. Vida Court evolved the design principles established during the design of Vida
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©Vida Healthcare
©Vida Court
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