Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, senior living communities and their design partners have worked to determine how the built environment plays a role in preventing and containing the virus. In the EFA Spring Summit session “Building Assessments and New Approaches in a Post-Pandemic World,” a multidisciplinary speaker team will dive into the building assessment process, including offering insight on shared experiences gathered from senior care providers across the U.S. That insight will focus on what’s worked well in controlling the spread of infectious disease, from both a design and operational perspective.
The session, scheduled for 4-5 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 27, includes the following speakers:
- Sara Malin, principal, Wold Architects and Engineers
- Simone Hogan, senior director for Veterans Healthcare, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs
- Jack Potter, architect, Wold/HFR Design
- Judy Eads, owner, Key Management Associates LLC.
In this Q+A with Environments for Aging, the panel shared a preview of what the audience will learn at the event.
Environments for Aging: What’s a common area for risk of COVID-19 spread in existing buildings that you’ll explore during your session?
Sara Malin: If you did not understand the importance of proper hand hygiene and virus spread prior to COVID-19, you certainly understand it now. We’ll look at the areas where convenient hand-washing sinks should be considered for staff and visitors, beyond what is required to meet the code minimum.
What’s an example of a shared experience you heard from senior living providers about what worked well?
Simone Hogan: Finding areas for safe family visits and residents feeling lonely and isolated was a huge issue during the pandemic. In Minnesota, outdoor visits could only happen during a limited portion of the year. We purchased a number of iPads and bolstered our WiFi infrastructure, and that helped because the residents could do virtual visits with their loved ones.
What perceived barriers exist to pursuing building assessments that you hope to help the audience address?
Jack Potter: Most senior living operators think that costly building renovations and mechanical system upgrades are required to have safer buildings. There are safe building strategies that can be implemented with minimal cost investments.
For more information and to register for EFA Spring Summit, visit environmentsforaging.com/summit.
