4 Things to Keep in Mind When Building a Senior Living Care Facility

Looking for senior living design trends for your next facility? We’ve got you covered. The first step is to remember that the best senior center design guidelines align with viewing every decision through the lens of your residents. When you keep this focus in your independent living, skilled care, and assisted living building designs above all else, the environment of your center will be optimized – and feel like home. Here’s a look at some of the key elements needed to successfully design a senior living facility that’s built for the human experience. 

1. Audio

Your audio visual (AV) equipment and technology require proactive planning. Early in the process of senior living architecture and design, discuss with your team what will be needed in terms of AV. If you’re not sure and want to maximize your facility, it’s ideal to work with a partner like PIVIUM from the start. We have years of expertise incorporating interactive technology and AV that improves the resident experience, staff workflow, and daily operations at senior living centers. We also understand the specifics of seniors’ hearing limitations and will ensure your equipment can meet their needs. 

2. Lighting

Lighting is often an overlooked aspect of the senior living resident experience but can be a big part of creating the right environment. Seniors have different needs for lighting because of changes to the eyes during the aging process. For example, less light reaches the retina as the eyes grow older, so the use of lighting needs to be intentionally designed. As with most things, it’s best to know the types, quantity, and function of all lighting during the design phase of a building so you can make sure the plans account for it. 

3. Emergency Call 

Emergency call systems are continuing to evolve and become more sophisticated. One type is a mobile pendant that empowers residents to call for assistance from wherever they are in the facility. This, and other similar systems, help seniors maintain more independence and enjoy more freedom on the property. The right tech and implementation can go a long way in improving your residents’ quality of life. But it’s important to plan for this early, so you can incorporate it into your designs from the beginning to avoid surprise costs down the road.  

4. Wayfinding

One of the most crucial senior living design trends to plan for is wayfinding. Many seniors, especially those with memory impairments, have trouble finding their way and can easily become lost. Using the right signage can help prevent this problem to some extent. But the best senior living architecture designs build with this in mind from the get-go. By designing an intuitively laid out facility, you’ll do a lot to help residents find their way and feel more comfortable.