Assisted Living Design in the Age of COVID-19

​As a firm committed to designing for seniors in care home settings and those aging in place, we’ve learned a lot over the past year. Assisted living facilities have been especially hard hit during the COVID-19 pandemic: tragically, over 40% of COVID deaths (over 100,000 people) in the US have been associated with long term care. People living in these communities have higher levels of impairment and chronic illness, which can increase their risk of infection. And residents live in close proximity to each other and are in close contact with caregivers, further increasing the probability of that infections will spread.
 
What has the pandemic taught us about nursing home design, and how will it change our approach post-COVID? We have put together a compendium of solutions used during the pandemic:

​Infection-safe pods—these self-contained, sanitized spaces enable crucial contact with visiting family without risk of infection. Glass or malleable plastic walls allow residents to see or even touch visitors. Future assisted living communities will need to be designed with spaces that can be converted for this use. 

​Isolation and quarantine areas—these can be residents’ normal rooms but additional spaces should also be available. Moving forward, we will need to increase the standard square footage dedicated to this. Single rather than shared rooms are desirable, and ventilation planning will include operable windows, exhaust fans, filters, and more powerful HVAC systems.

​Integration of digital communication technologies like Zoom and Facetime. Smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Echo helped residents feel connected during social isolation. The Elli-Q robot was designed specifically to promote social connectedness for older adults. Architects will need to pay more attention to building in hardware (large screens, microphones, speakers) for these technologies.

​Respite spaces for staff who are working long hours. Supports staff physical wellbeing and mental health. Spaces should also be designated for command centers during crises and for staff testing.

Dining on wheels is useful when residents need to quarantine or isolate—food is delivered on a cart. But communal dining is important to residents’ wellbeing and can be done safely in combination with other strategies. Tables can be spaced far apart and residents can eat in small groups at assigned times.

Zoning, cohort, or household models can help minimize the spread of disease. These smaller, homelike settings also improve the quality of life of residents through increased opportunities for community-building and privacy. The Green House Project has developed a successful model.

Outdoor-indoor spaces such as porches and decks offer a connection to nature and the outside world. They allow residents to sit back and observe but also provide space for exercise. These areas are often larger than interior spaces and can therefore accommodate both physical distancing and visual connection.

Contact us to discuss our work with assisted living communities, and how we can help you implement new strategies in care home design.

Sources:
​National Institute of Health: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7603995/
American Institute of Architects: www.aia.org/resources/6307024-strategies-for-safer-senior-living-communi
www.blindtex.com/medical-track/
room.com/pages/meeting-room
elliq.com/
​www.joneszylon.com/Products/Long-Term-Care-Products/Heated-Refrigerated-Meal-Delivery-Carts/
www.steelcase.com/products/sofas/surround/?drawer_main=images&drawer_sub=on-white
​​www.thegreenhouseproject.org/