Over the years, the needs of the larger baby boom population have dictated many facilities-related endeavors: the construction of schools, offices and, now, healthcare facilities as the population ages. As a recent article in Health Facilities Management magazine notes, more than 10,000 baby boomers had turned 65 by 2011, while the entire generation will have passed that milestone by 2030.
Professionals in the facilities design industry already have begun to reshape how healthcare buildings are designed, constructed and operated – with the needs of this large, key demographic in mind. From layout of facilities to the design elements incorporated into spaces, architects and designers are going beyond simply eliminating hazards that can befall the elderly and are , instead, “literally and figuratively seeing life through aging eyes,” the article notes.
From such elements as soft, slip-free flooring to mitigate falls, brighter daytime lighting from LEDs, and even nightlights to aid aging eyes at night in crucial pathways from beds to bathrooms, designers are seeing innovative materials and solutions to improve both aesthetics and quality of life in health facilities for the aged. The article notes that the Facilities Guidelines Institute’s forthcoming Guidelines for Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities will become a go-to resources for designers of both acute and ambulatory care facilities to better understand the needs of older patients and how to create facilities that support these needs not only for this generation of elderly healthcare consumers but also for future ones.
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