Interior design
to transform the resident experience and foster a sense of belonging.
My top tips and advice for communal spaces Here are my tips for designing communal spaces in care homes, to ensure accessibility, comfort, and engagement for all residents: Accessibility: make sure communal areas are wheelchair-friendly, with wide corridors, ramps, and accessible bathrooms/toilets. Adding handrails, non-slip flooring, and good lighting enhances safety and mobility.
Sensory Stimulation: incorporate elements like natural lighting, soothing colours, and tactile surfaces to create a calming and engaging environment, especially beneficial for residents with dementia.
Wayfinding: use clear signage, contrasting colours, and landmarks to aid navigation, helping residents, particularly those with cognitive impairments, find their way around easily.
Flexible spaces: design communal areas that can be easily rearranged to suit different activities and group sizes, encouraging social interaction and diverse programming.
Outdoor spaces: include accessible outdoor areas like gardens or courtyards for residents to enjoy fresh air and light exercise.
Dementia-friendly design: consider elements like contrasting colours, circular walking paths, and secure outdoor areas to support residents with dementia.
Watch the light: be very aware of the light level. If a room becomes dark it will be difficult to navigate – and therefore a safety risk – for both staff and residents. Watch out for dark spots in larger rooms for example.
Clear the clutter: Try to encourage things to be put away to ensure spaces are easy to get around. This is where adequate and well-planned storage is the key – something many older care homes struggle with. In my opinion, it is better to make use of a small unused area for built-in, purpose-built storage than anything else.
Choose flooring carefully: this is where Light Reflectance Value (LRV) and colour contrast are important (see my previous article in the October issue of The Care Home Environment) and these can be applied to
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Consider ways you can break these larger areas into smaller zones
flooring choice. A smooth, matte single- coloured surface is ideal.
Using colour effectively: there are many ways to use colour effectively in communal areas. Chairs with contrasting seat colours or trim will help those with sight issues differentiate the chair from the floor and therefore sit down safely. Use colour ‘coding’ to group areas by colour – the TV room may be variations of blue for example, and the games room yellow, helping residents by offering a memory aid and visual prompt. The psychology of colour also plays a factor. Think about how a colour may make residents feel, and design accordingly.
Multi-purpose rooms: create versatile spaces for activities such as exercise classes, movie screenings, or art therapy sessions.
Consider noise: most people become upset by the noise. In communal spaces, what would be considered a normal noise level can quickly become unbearable, as people raise their voices to be heard, staff begin the tea round and the TV is turned up. To help with this, really consider ways you can improve the acoustic properties of your spaces. Soft furnishings such as upholstered armchairs, curtains and blinds can help muffle sound. There are also acoustic wallcoverings that may be considered and even artwork. Try to reduce the harder surfaces where possible.
Quiet Spaces: design areas for relaxation and respite, away from the hustle and bustle of communal areas. These spaces need not be big, but can be places where noise is purposefully kept to a minimum.
Looking to the future As well as those care homes that are already in existence, it is essential that new builds are designed in a way that is conducive to providing not just adequate and functional accommodation, but life-enhancing and welcoming places to live.
New builds are also able to incorporate
technology more readily, and this should be embraced. Incorporate assistive technologies like interactive displays or
virtual reality experiences to enhance engagement and learning. There are a multitude of devices, systems,
and programmes that can be utilised within communal spaces. Live streaming of events such as royal weddings, the ability to join video calls to participate in wider community events, digital notice boards, and so on.
A home-from-home
Finally, remember that this is a home, first and foremost. A place where your residents want to feel a sense of belonging, familiarity, and comfort. The more you can help with this, the better. By prioritising well-designed communal spaces, care homes can create environments that promote social interaction, cognitive stimulation, and overall wellbeing for residents, including those living with dementia.
These spaces should not only enhance residents’ quality of life, but also ensure the facility remains adaptable to future needs.
Reference 1
https://www.sintef.no/en/latest- news/2015/finding-a-good-home-for- dementia-sufferers/
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Joanne Jeyes
Joanne Jeyes is the owner of Crocus Interior Design, an interior design studio based in Essex. She has been writing about interiors for over 20 years and specialises in working with clients who are looking for a sustainable and future proof design for their home. Joanne offers a consultancy package to care homes giving advice on creating dementia friendly spaces, be that to improve existing design, or starting a new development.
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com July 2024
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