Manuel Zeitlin Architects and Skanska USA worked together to complete the 33,000-square-foot Abe’s Garden, an addition to the Park Manor senior lifestyle community campus, which opened its doors in September 2015. Abe’s Garden seeks to demonstrate and nationally disseminate evidence-based best practices to improve the lives of those individuals, families, and care partners affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
While Park Manor offers independent and assisted living services, the Abe’s Garden addition was designed specifically for the care of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and to establish its model program. The Abe’s Garden campus design is grounded in dementia care research and current best practices, which informs its dining, interior and landscape design, nursing and medical care, and resident engagement.
While the structure was required to meet commercial building regulations, the need to make people who would be living there feel at home meant that the campus would need a residential style and feel. Key features include three family-sized households themed around arts and lifelong learning, connection to nature, and music and movement. A central enclosed courtyard connects all three households and serves as an important therapeutic environment. It also has a practical purpose: All of the resident-accessible doors open onto the enclosed courtyard, keeping residents safe while fostering a sense of freedom.
Since the construction team was working within the active Park Manor campus, collaboration and communication with the management team was essential. The success of this collaboration resulted in resident safety and on-schedule delivery. When building on an active healthcare campus, patients are rarely on site for the entirety of construction, but since older adults live at Park Manor, engaging them in the construction process was critical. The team hosted monthly town hall-inspired meetings for all interested residents. At these meetings, the construction team shared project updates and milestones and answered questions.
A team of aging design, construction, and gerontology leaders contributed to the development of Abe’s Garden’s essential features. In designing the residence for 42 full-time residents and 15 adult day/evening care participants, the Abe’s Garden team considered everything from the impact of lighting and hallways to visits from family members of varying ages. For example, research has shown that bright light in the morning and low-level amber night lights can be used to improve sleep-wake patterns. As such, Abe’s Garden was designed to maximize natural light, and incorporates state-of-the-art lighting to support circadian rhythms, reduce glare, and minimize shadows.
Social interaction has also been shown to have a beneficial impact on cognitive function. As such, spaces were designed to support socializing among residents, and with visitors and care partners. The kitchens’ design encourages residents to participate in table setting and snack preparation; and the courtyard’s raised garden beds, vine trellis, water feature, nature discovery area, covered walking path, backyard grill, and fireplace have similar social applications.
