Safety
Safety is a major concern in designing any facility. This is especially true for the elderly because they often have diminished capacities and are prone to falls or other accidents.
The following should be considered in designing facilities for the elderly:
- An energy absorbing flooring such as low-pile carpeting may help decrease the injury from a fall. Deep-pile carpeting or area rugs impede mobility and can actually cause falls.
- Consider carpeting manufactured specifically for wet areas. Some types of carpeting are both waterproof and antimicrobial.
- Use a slip-retardant vinyl sheet flooring which has minute granules embedded in its surface. Vinyl flooring can be more effective than carpeting in reducing the occurrence of falls, but there is also a greater chance of injury if a person does fall.
- Avoid carpeting with leafy patterns and tile with mixed color designs. Elderly people often fall while trying to pick up the leaves or other objects in a floor's design.
- Do not use wavy lines, as they can cause feelings of unsteadiness. Use materials for floors and other furnishings that will not require a lot of cleaning chemicals, as these can be especially dangerous for an older person's respiratory system.
- Make shower chairs standard in bathrooms. Make sure tubs have entry doors and faucets at the side, rather than at the end, to minimize reaching and falls.
- Use special anti-scald devices for bathtub spouts and shower heads.
- Install handrails where needed using a simple blocking that is a standard 32 inches from the floor. The rails should have a diameter of 1.5 inches and a hand clearance of 2 inches, as well as a flattened top surface.
- Highlight danger areas such as a bottom step by using lighting or a tactile signal on a handrail.
- Use a cluster design to keep rooms close together and hallways short. Activity areas in a residential facility can also be kept near people's rooms, where staff members often spend a great deal of time.
- Place a main desk or nursing station where hallways intersect. This provides staff members with a good view of potential danger areas.
- Any outside area accessed by people should be entirely visible from one location inside the facility.
- Install tactile alarm systems, loud alarms and strobe light in a facility.
- Install plug-in emergency lights that have a battery backup and turn on automatically in a blackout.
- Use photoluminescent technology, which makes it possible to absorb and store light energy. When used in signs, this technology can provide 7-10 hours of glow-in-the-dark directions during a blackout. Find additional safety-related information in the sections on mobility, lighting, cues, and furniture.
Further reading on the topic of safety can be found in:Bright Lights, Big Hallways. Author: Rachel Long. Contemporary Long Term Care,March 2000. pp. 36-38.Elderdesign: Home Modifications for Enhanced Safety and Self-Care. Author:Rosemary Bakker. The Care Management Journals, vol. 1 (1), Winter 1999.pp. 47-54.Stair Negotiation in Older People: A Review. Authors: Jill K. Startzell, D. Alfred Owens,Lorraine M. Mulfinger, and Peter R. Cavanagh. Journal of the AmericanGeriatrics Society, vol. 48, 2000. pp. 567-580.
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