The Elderly

Greene, J. (2013, August). The Denver Hospice. H&HN: Hospital &Health Networks, 87(8), 37-38. This article is about how the Denver hospice has won a lucrative award 2013 Circle of Life Award. What allowed the Denver hospice win this award was there unique program that they come up with in dealing with palliative care. Palliative care is an up and coming method of health care that deals with easing of pain for any stage of someone’s disease. Hospice care only deals with patients in the final stages of their disease. The Denver hospice is leading the way by branching out and developing a palliative care program to service more people than just standard hospice alone. The Denver Hospice's fearless culture of innovation has produced partnerships that bring hospice and palliative services to a wide variety of people who might not otherwise have access to them (Greene). Palliative care is a difficult item to get funding for. No one wants to fund the final minutes of a person’s life. Although, Denver Hospice has a reputation of never turning anyone away, they will treat whoever is in need. Denver Hospice works with many different groups to try to cater to the clientele as well as get funding. The Veterans Administration has worked with the Denver Hospice to identify special needs of veterans, who make up 31 percent of the hospice's patients (Greene). Many of which may have seen combat or had to endure something that which has made care now that much more difficult. It is important that programs such as this take root and continue to thrive, so that there will always be someone there that can continue to help the aging population.
Tabar, P., (2013, May). Making space for hospice. Long-term living: for the continuing care professional. 62(4), 36-36. This article is about how a long term care facility in northern Florida is showing that not all end of life facilities have to be hospital like and uncomfortable. The health care facility built a nursing home on the same compound as the as the hospital that is unlike any before. This facility is plush and cozy as well as includes palliative and hospice care. Hospice interior design should welcome aspects of life, not death, explained Penny Houchens, IIDA, LEED AP, senior interior designer for Cresham Smith (Tabar). The use of color and wood tones as well as bringing in natural light leads people to be more comfortable and puts them at ease. Private, quiet spaces such as gardens or reflection rooms provide comforting respite and revitalization for families and caregivers alike (Tabar). This new way of looking at long term care is a nice relief from the large institutional buildings full of people just waiting to die. This layout allows for patients to enjoy and thrive in there new environment. Hospice of Northeast Florida one of the largest nonprofit hospices in the country, receives a whopping 65 percent of its intake directly from the local hospital, compared to the national average of 33 percent, thanks to a local partnership (Tabar). This facility has a higher rate of submission straight from the hospital due to its being part of as well as on the same compound as the hospital. It is a one stop shop so to speak for end of care. The facility states that they do not have 1400 dead patients in our midst but 1400 patients that are very much alive (Tabar). This one statement sums up how they look at those in their care.
Worsham, C., (2013, April). Love, light and life:harnessing a space’s potential energy enhances function and comfort. Long-term living: for the continuing care professional. 62(3),37-38
This article talks about how the nursing home community is moving from the sterile open hall with endless doors on either side to a more home like environment. It is a proven fact that a small home like environment is better for the mental wellbeing of long-term care patients. Now some home care builders are making this type of facility profitable, and with profitability come a new trend. This new trend is seeing smaller more home like environments to better take care of the end user, which is the elderly patients.
Making a space aesthetically pleasant is only half the job; the designer must also consider function (Worsham). The Nursing home industry also has to meet certain guidelines and requirements in order to be able to operate, so the designer must keep these in mind when working. The trick is to get it to look more homey all the while maintaining its function. This is where a good design will incorporate both and ensure that the space works well for what it is intended.
Today's best skilled nursing environments strive to be places that not only provide shelter for our elders, but create a sense of security and wellbeing (Worsham). With companies finding that they can run profitable smaller facilities, they are able to provide facilities that feel more like home and less like a facility to the residents. Residents are able to get the smells of the food wafting through the smaller halls as well as gather in the eating areas to converse. This gives the residents the feeling that it is there home and not just some place they are force to live.
Sheehan, P., (2013, Spring). Casting a Critical Eye on LTC Design. Long-term living: for the continuing care professional. Retrieved from http://0-web.ebscohost.com.oak.indwes.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=b59e6efe-a1b5-4eeb-8747-3ef488c44ff2%40sessionmgr4&hid=11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=hxh&AN=86965605
This article talks about the new and emerging trends in long-term care. At the annual Environments for Aging design showcase judging event, they showcased these new designs. Things I as a layperson would never consider—like the impact of reflective flooring on the aged eye, amenities that support the resident’s autonomy or mechanical systems to produce a healthy indoor air environment—do not escape their expert attention (Sheehan). The group judging these designs truly has the well-being of the residents in mind and wants only the best for them. In an ever changing world that seems to get busier and busier everyday it is nice to know that someone is taking the care and well-being of the elderly in mind.
Fancy furnishings and flashy finishes are useless and, dare I suggest, cruel embellishments if they aren't backed by a culture of resident-centered care and support (Sheehan). If the administrators and staff are not warm and inviting than no amount of fancy furnishings are going to make up for residents being board and even ignored. These shows are not just about how an institution looks but how they work as well.
Ideally, we'd like to see the built environment serve and support the evolving resident-centered care model (Sheehan). That is why this show is put on, to not only help in the design of new facilities but to help new and existing facilities an award winning model to base their future business model off of. The promoters of the show care about this industry and want to see that the people in long term care are taken care of as well as stimulated.
Moldow, L.G., (2013, Spring). Rethinking Senior Living Models. Long-term Living: for the continuing care professional. Retrieved from http://0-web.ebscohost.com.oak.indwes.edu/ehost/detail?vid=3&sid=b59e6efe-a1b5-4eeb-8747-3ef488c44ff2%40sessionmgr4&hid=11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=hxh&AN=86965704
This article talks about how as long term care facilities age they have a few options as minor remodels such as paint and new furniture to complete gut and remodels. The article talks about how any aging facility can go the cheap route and do the minimal but does this really fix the issues. The right thing to do is to gut and remodel with the unique trends of the market in mind. By catering to the market they are in they can provide better care for the people in the market.
As the baby boomers begin to move to the long term care facilities they want more out of them than just a place to live. The good news is senior living providers can develop more options, think more innovatively and create more diverse market niches than ever before (Moldow). Facility owners are finding that they can remodel there existing aging facility to not only meet these changing needs, but also save money by not having to build a new facility. The opportunities are endless for updates. They could do simple things such as change the dining hall into a restaurant style area or a café into a coffee house.
Developers looking at the age wave demographic understand the opportunity at hand and the responsibility to serve this growing group (Moldow). In the end there is no one solution for all facilities, they must instead focus on their community and figure out what is best for them. With so many endless opportunities available it is a chance for the industry as a whole shed that image of a way station to death and move to an image of home.