Global Awards News

LONDON: The very basis of aged care and aged care facilities is to provide for the needs of the elderly. For centuries, nursing homes and other institutions have tended to those affected physically and/or psychologically with conditions attributed to senility, and these institutions have evolved from both a design and care standpoint.

But the nature of aged care and our ageing population is changing before our eyes. While more than 1 in 5 Australians will be over the age of 65 by 2036 and the Federal Government says it is prepared to account for that in budgets moving forward, at the coalface of this evolution are designers tasked with planning for the future, one with an increased elderly population and a spike in neurologic disorders.

While the care the elderly receive is fundamental to the operation of strong aged care facilities, the overall feel and design of the centre itself can influence the mood and comfort of its occupants, visitors and workers.

Rebecca Plumsted, dwp’s Design Director for Senior’s Living believes subtleties such as natural light and ventilation are paramount to the design outcome of an aged care facility.

“From a design perspective I would say provision of comfort is crucial for strong aged care design,” she says.

“Some of the design fundamentals are incredibly important – daylighting, solar access, connection to gardens and outdoor, natural environments – be that physical or visual access, natural ventilation, thermal comfort, providing a range of resident spaces that offer individual choice of activity or company, appropriate interior and FF&E design and functional layouts.”

Aged care design is now being based around small households in order to further the sense of comfort and connection for occupants. Plumsted says design briefs are calling for individual dining, lounge and support spaces for each resident.

“A recent project for Whiddon that dwp delivered started life at the briefing stage as a conventional RACF with large lounge and dining spaces servicing each building floor plate, but Whiddonm later opted for a small household model, each with 10 residents who in turn connected with another household of 10 for shared dining,” she says.

“Each wing of the new development is capable of becoming a secured dementia wing if required without design changes.This was achieved within a large, three-storey building format – small household does not necessarily mean ‘houses’.”

Aged care facilities are becoming larger in spite of the move to quasi-household dwellings. Providers are interested in connecting the centres with the local community. High quality entry spaces with amenities such as cafes and leisure areas serve as a mediator between township and an aged care centre. dwp has looked to implement this approach for a number of clients in recent past, including Australian Unity, Whiddon and Mercy Health.

A study in the Lancet Public Health Journal has estimated that over 150 million people around the world will be living with dementia by 2050. The projected total is nearly 100 million more people than the 57 million recorded in 2019.

The flow on effect for aged care and their facilities means that wayfinding, sightlines and sensory prompts will become increasingly prevalent throughout all aged care wards. Even fresh meals and services from a visible domestic kitchen is important, as it provides familiarity.

Finishes are another area where the designer has to be sensitive to the needs of those with dementia,” says Plumsted.

“Strong colour and material contrasts on floors for example and busy, contrasting fabric patterns are not suitable. And of course selections for finishes have to be able to withstand the cleaning regimes that will be required.”

Plumsted believes the predicted rise in dementia will be something of a natural evolution for designers and how they aim to provide care and comfort for all aged residents, irrespective of their neurological capacities.

“In the past the considerations of small households, clear wayfinding, security and appropriate FF&E selections were specifically incorporated into Dementia Units but now we incorporate these design considerations into all aspects of aged care buildings.

“The fact that such a high proportion of residents have dementia or other neurological disorder to some degree or will develop it, means all parts of the facility should be designed for those with dementia. And all those design aspects are just integrated into the design – there is nothing that stands out, is added on or that looks ‘different’.”

“This approach can help to reduce the amount of resident relocation required, assist caregivers in that residents have less issues for staff to deal with and generally help future-proof facilities.”