By Healthcare Facilities Today

The baby boomer generation is the largest segment of healthcare system users. Healthcare planners and designers will have to respond to a number of new design criteria that are a result of this demographic, including making parking more accessible for the older patient, according to the Boomer Nation blog on the Healthcare Design magazine website.

“The design of healthcare facility parking lots and parking spaces should be considered when planning for more elderly drivers. One change should include adjusting the size of the driving lane in parking lots to ease vehicular traffic movement. This includes both the vehicular movement through the driving lane and the movement in and out of parking spaces,” wrote blogger Gary Vance.

The current standards for driving lanes are generally agreed to be between 24 to 26 feet, the blog said. Given the increase in elderly drivers whose sight, reaction times, and coordination are diminishing, Vance recommended that driving lane dimensions be increased to 26 to 28 feet. 

The design criteria for the width of the parking space should also be increased beyond the current dimensions, according to Vance. This will also help the driver get out of and into the automobile more quickly. 

Read the blog.