Senior Environments

For good design, seek resident, staff input

Enlisting resident and staff input ensures that the design for a facility renovation hits its intended mark--an environment that supports choice, personal control and an acknowledgement of each individuals personhood. Read More »

Assisted living redefined in new building codes

The International Building Code has been revised to reclassify assisted living facilities, acknowledging their difference from nursing homes and hospitals. Read More »

Assisted living fundamentals softened in 1Q13

For the first quarter of 2013,  assisted living occupancy showed a decline from the numbers it had been achieving as it recovered from the economic challenges of the past two years. However, absorption and inventory showed gains. Read More »

Leaders of Tomorrow: Roberto Muñiz

Congratulations to another of our five 2013 Leaders of Tomorrow award winners:  Roberto Muñiz, MPA, LNHA, FACHCA, president and CEO, the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home, Piscataway, N.J. Parker incorporates value-added services for adult day healthcare and social outreach to seniors in the community. Read More »

What we heard (and didn’t hear) at the EFA conference

The "culture city" of New Orleans served as the perfect venue for discussing culture change in elder-care building design at the 2013 Environments for Aging conference. Read More »

EFA 2013: Lighting design strategies to improve health

Proper lighting provides much more than adequate visibility and pleasant aesthetics. A detailed look at light’s effect on circadian rhythms suggests that designers can play a significant role in improving health for long-term and post-acute care residents. Read More »

EFA 2013: Making space for hospice in the care continuum

Continuing care trends are increasingly involving hospice within the whole care campus, instead of tucking away the hospice in a stand-alone building in a proverbial corner of finality. Read More »

Assisted living 2013: On the upswing

Two top industry executives share their insights on assisted living’s climate and trends. Assisted living survived the economic downturn and the collapse of the housing market intact and it is geared up and ready to continue moving forward. Read More »

EFA 2013: Resident-centered care in China

With more than 180 million elders and growing, China is being forced to reconsider its senior care environments. Architects and designers are challenged to create facilities that best meet senior needs while respecting cultural expectations. Read More »

EFA 2013: Demand for affordable senior housing soars. No end in sight.

Presbyterian Senior Living in York, Pa. operates an integrated retirement community that combines market rate with affordable housing. Read More »

EFA 2013: Designing for daily life with dementia

You can’t design one facility that’s perfect for meeting the needs of all dementia residents, says Retreat Healthcare’s Lena Smith. But understanding the disease, its forms and the various stages can help inform spaces that are adaptable and sensitive to residents and caregivers alike. Read More »

EFA 2013: Consumers drive trends in aging-friendly housing market

Designing and building for an aging population is the same as designing and building for the general population, but with more considerations, more variations and more restrictions Read More »

Living in communities with more than a bed and a view

Professionals change their thinking on long-term care to focus on creating communities that serve the human needs of an aging population. Read More »

Silent locks & access control in LTC

As LTC design spaces become more “open,” access control becomes a much more important part of LTC facility strategy.  Read More »

Conference keynote: What makes your residents happy?

Sunday’s Environments for Aging keynote speaker Margaret Wylde, president and CEO of ProMatura Group, urged architects and designers to re-examine what they think older residents want out of their living communities. Hint: It’s not bocce ball or bingo. Read More »

What 55+ consumers (don’t call them ‘seniors’) want in their living environments

Margaret Wylde, PhD, president and CEO, ProMatura, has her fingers firmly on the pulse of the booming 55+ demographic. She spoke with Long-Term Living Editor-in-Chief Patricia Sheehan in advance of her keynote address at the Environments for Aging conference, to be held April 6-9 in New Orleans. Read More »

SNF occupancy rates stable; Sacramento, Calif., leads growth markets

While the skilled nursing care national occupancy continues to be stable, there has been variation in the trends among the individual metropolitan markets during the past year. Read More »

Rethinking senior living models

Boomers seek diversity and innovation in their pursuit of the perfect aging-in-place setting. The good news is senior living providers can develop more options, think more innovatively and create more diverse market niches than ever before. Read More »

The impact of the aging population on acute care facilities

How is senior-centric care changing the way hospitals are designed? Anne DiNardo, senior editor of our sister-publication Healthcare Design, asks two design experts about the impacts of geriatric care on the rest of the care chain in this sneak-peek of what attendees will learn at our Environments for Aging conference next month. Read More »

A natural haven: Citation of Merit winner Haven Hospice Custead Care Center, Orange Park, Fla.

This fourth of four Environments for Aging Citation of Merit winners features a connection to nature as the inspiring force for its designers. Read More »

Nurturing individual growth: Citation of Merit winner Good Shepherd Cottage at Santa Teresita, Duarte, Calif.

This third of four Environments for Aging Citation of Merit winners drew on its mission to serve the elderly to achieve beautiful results in the design and construction of a new assisted living residence. Read More »

Inviting and inclusive: Citation of Merit winner Cosby Spears High Rise, Atlanta

This second of four Environments for Aging Citation of Merit winners demonstrates how a main-floor renovation transformed a public housing complex. Read More »

Fostering physical, spiritual potentials: Citation of Merit winner Camphill Elder Initiative for Developmentally Disabled Adults, Ghent, N.Y.

This first of four Environments for Aging Citation of Merit winners has created a community where developmentally disabled adults live among independent residents, allowing for social interactions unlike those of other developments. Read More »

2013 Citation of Merit winners: Celebrating excellence in LTC design

The Environments for Aging annual design issue showcases the latest trends and best practices in senior housing and long-term care design. Congratulations to this year's Citation of Merit winners, four projects recognized for excellence in design with a resident-centered focus. Read More »

LED lighting in senior living: Friend or foe?

Although natural light is preferred as much as possible in senior living, artificial lighting is necessary.  So is the latest technology the best?  Read More »

What design features do LTC residents most want?

Renovations and redesigns large and small can breathe new life into a facility, especially when they’re focused on the needs of the people who live and work within them. The changes that are most important to the residents tend to be those that center on their psychological need to regain control. Read More »

Is renovation always a good thing?

Every year a group of multi-disciplinary professionals gather to discuss Design Showcase submissions for the Environments for Aging review. Inevitably, during the discussion, a common theme appears. This year was no exception: Is renovation always a good thing? Read More »

Nursing care occupancy remains near cyclical low

Nursing care occupancy rose for the second consecutive quarter, although it remains near its cyclical low. During the fourth quarter of 2012, nursing care occupancy was 88.1 percent, which was a 10 basis point increase from the prior quarter but a 10 basis points decline from a year ago. Read More »

Exploring evidence-based and green design in long-term care

The research and experiences of evidence-based design will continue to lead to innovations in creating senior living environments that enhance quality of life and quality of care. Read More »

Love, light and life

Harnessing the energy of interior spaces can change an institutional building into a home. An interior designer takes a look at the power of light, variety and focus points to create peace and comfort within the care environment.  Read More »