Design and build


sleep. Ambient, dimmable lighting has been shown to calm people down and reduce anxiety. Results have shown benefits for carers’ health, too. Air quality is equally important for resident and carer health. Achieving BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) air quality accreditation proved quite challenging. The new requirements stipulated that air pollutants, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and formaldehyde levels (as found in newly-specified finishes and furnishings) remain under a certain level to ensure safe breathing. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, certain manufacturers were behind the curve on this. Our team worked incredibly hard with manufacturers to focus on getting the data together for the accreditation in time.


Staff and visitors


Crucially, it is important not to overlook the needs of care staff and visitors when designing a new care home or refurbishing an existing one. Family members need to feel welcome and, ideally, have places outside of a person’s bedroom where they can meet relatives and converse. At Heathlands, staff areas are designed with fresh air and natural light to help with energy levels. There are views over the gardens, and plenty of natural daylight. Staff feedback regarding the facilities at Heathlands has been excellent. Creating a dedicated overnight room for family members can be a useful addition to the care home. Stations at which guests can make a cup of tea or prepare a light snack create an opportunity for bonding


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over shared activities, giving a sense of ownership within the environment. Similar areas can be used by the staff members for the same purpose; however, staff have an additional need for comfortable areas to relax and enjoy their breaktimes, alongside well-equipped back-of-house rooms to be able to carry out their duties efficiently. Heathlands’ design process has involved a high amount of end user engagement, which has not only been enjoyable, but has resulted in a building in which end users feel proud, and have ownership of. IBI’s design team also advised the end users about best practice for dementia design and any statutory requirements regarding building regulations, planning laws, and health technical memoranda. Each design approach is bespoke and must respond to the client and the specific care home. We hold a strong record of accomplishment for stakeholder consultation as well as the ability to incorporate often-conflicting needs. We strongly believe that if you can get dementia design right, you have designed for almost everyone. In healthcare design, everywhere should be dementia-friendly. Holistic principles will not only meet the client and residents’ needs but also help improve their lives. Visitors, residents - anyone - can get disoriented, could be on medication, or might be out of sorts. If we incorporated designing for dementia further, we could create much friendlier and healthier environments for all.


References 1 https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/ news-and-media/facts-media


Maarit Heinonen-Smith n


Maarit Heinonen-Smith is a chartered architect with years of experience in high profile and award-winning sheltered and extra care housing, retirement villages, and care homes located throughout the UK. She specializes in architecture and design for over 55s, designing bespoke and inspiring residential architecture which allows for flexibility within the design for changing needs and individuality of the residents with a consideration to their health and wellbeing. Each design is a unique response to the site and brief and developed through a dialogue with clients and end users. During her career, her designs have achieved several awards for design quality, most recently at the Healthcare Design Awards 2018 and Housing Design.


www.thecarehomeenvironment.com September 2022


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