The last few months have brought major changes for older Americans. Because seniors are one of the groups most vulnerable to becoming severely ill from COVID-19, the pandemic has forced many communities to examine the safety of residents in senior living environments through a new lens. Senior living facilities and their capacity for preventing the spread of illness has become one of the most important considerations in the fight against the virus.
Designing for cleanliness has always been a top priority in senior living but now it’s taking on greater importance. Understanding the cleaning protocols of any facility is key when choosing materials that will enable the long-term durability and cleanliness of the space.
For example, designers may incorporate elements such as ultra-large format tiles with fewer grout lines where viruses and bacteria are difficult to mitigate. Materials with anti-graffiti coatings not only resist stains but are more easily cleaned and disinfected, and copper-infused materials with antimicrobial properties offer efficacy in fighting the spread of infection.
Furthermore, gone are the days of overstuffed furnishings and club chairs and ornate (hard-to-clean) wooden details. In their place are more contemporary and transitional lines that are simple in their design and allow for easy cleaning, while also appealing to seniors’ tastes today.
Moving forward, design innovations will need to ensure facilities can adapt at a moment’s notice if cases of COVID-19 (or even seasonal influenza) spike in the future. Fostering a sense of community in senior living facilities will continue to be important but so will adaptable design elements that allow residents to socially distance if needed. For example, modular furniture can be arranged to allow for more space between diners while still allowing them to eat together in the same room.
Facilities can also incorporate rooms for virtually connecting residents with loved ones in the event that visitations are restricted again in the future to help keep infections at bay. Virtual rooms need to easily accommodate technology, whether residents are using a personal mobile device or a hard-wired communications system controlled with touchless, voice-activated controllers. Ideally rooms will incorporate variable lighting settings to create a positive experience on screen for the resident. Acoustics are also important considerations, and assisted hearing devices can also connect wirelessly with hearing aids to help the hearing impaired better hear devices during virtual conversations.
More permanent features like automated doors in common areas and touchless technology in public restrooms may also become more prominent as owners and operators aim to reduce the number of germ-spreading touchpoints in their communities.
We are living through a once-in-a-century pandemic, and it’s the job of architects and designers to evolve and adapt their design solutions to help keep residents safe. This current challenge will push us all toward the innovations that will set the trends for years to come.
Larry Meeks, AIA, is a principal at STG Design (Houston). He can be reached at [email protected].
