Architecture & interior design
where required, gathered the right team for the project, and ensured we maintained our positive relationship with James and the team throughout. We also made sure residents and staff were at the forefront of our design decisions at all times.
Interior design – Ellen Pryce, Nanu Soda As director at interior design practice Nanu Soda, I worked closely with Vida Healthcare to ensure the vision for Vida Court’s interiors was delivered. Working on the care home of the future has been fantastic, as care homes are a new discipline for my team and Vida Healthcare is the UK’s leading provider of specialist dementia care. The challenge for Vida Court was ensuring we achieved the same level of finish as the architectural design of the building and when designing for dementia, it is not an exact science. Vida Court’s residents will vary in age and come from places across the UK. It was important to design the home with meaning, and to do this we spent time with the Vida team and residents at Vida Hall and Vida Grange. There have been many studies on design for dementia using colours and contrast, which we ensured formed a key part of the interior design decisions. In addition, after spending time with Vida’s occupational therapists and residents at their other homes, it was clear we needed to design a space that brought peace and tranquillity to the residents. When they were relaxed, their memories improved and became less stressed, which is not only beneficial for
Hair salon
them, but creates a nice experience for their loved ones when visiting. For example, not everyone born in the 1970s likes the Beatles so we wanted to ensure that the home was relaxing and neutral. Our ultimate goal was to make Vida Court a home away from home that works for every resident, and did not feel institutional as many care homes can do. As the doors of the care home of the future swing open, you are immediately greeted with a luxurious hotel-like lobby - and not somewhere that feels sterile and unwelcoming - which sets the precedent for the quality of the interiors throughout the home. All the spaces, particularly the reception, are inviting and leave residents and families feeling relaxed.
Continuing the feeling of luxury, we
installed a six-seater cinema, coffee shop, sweet shop, and hair salon for residents to use throughout the day. The salon in particular takes you back in time and creates a feeling of calm with the tranquil colours. Ensuring a range of facilities were available was crucial to creating a sense of normality in residents’ day-to-day lives. One feature that really sets Vida Court apart, and is designed solely to support the welfare of people living with dementia, 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. It also creates a journey with stimulating colours and contrasting tones to deliver a sense of freedom, which is really important for people living with dementia. When designing the residents’
bedrooms, we wanted to make sure that they contrasted to other areas of Vida Court. They have a domestic and homely feel while still catering to the needs of residents. The wet room in each bedroom is decorated with warm terracotta tones to keep residents feeling comfortable and settled.
Conclusion A strategically-designed care home, as with the ‘care home of the future’, will consider the needs of a variety of cohorts, from residents and their families, to staff, and potential new residents, and will deliver the most effective and person-centred care available.
Tea room January 2022
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com
Care home design and construction must go beyond the traditional model of
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©Vida Healthcarte
©Vida Healthcarte
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