Save for the
entryway, outdoor spaces in retirement communities, nursing, assisted living,
and adult daycare facilities are typically an afterthought. A dreary, blank
page with no meaning. Yet the unrealized potential of these areas offers a host
of opportunities for residents and their families, as well as the staff and facilities
operation. What’s more, outdoor features are sought-after by eldercare services
consumers. In fact, residents and their families look to these features as
marker of exemplary care.
How Can an Outdoor Space Benefit Your Elder
Care Facility?
●
Residents
o Independence, not isolation.
Beautiful outdoor spaces imbue a sense of freedom, rather than the feel of confinement many feel in elder care facilities.
Beautiful outdoor spaces imbue a sense of freedom, rather than the feel of confinement many feel in elder care facilities.
o Emotional support.
Engaging in outdoor settings boosts socialization, creating opportunities for residents and their families to form much-needed support networks.
Engaging in outdoor settings boosts socialization, creating opportunities for residents and their families to form much-needed support networks.
o Meaningful activity.
Passive interaction with outdoor spaces offers sensory stimulation, as well as allows residents to continue engaging in enjoyable activities, upholding a ‘homier,’ non-institutional feel.
Passive interaction with outdoor spaces offers sensory stimulation, as well as allows residents to continue engaging in enjoyable activities, upholding a ‘homier,’ non-institutional feel.
o Overall wellness.
As with ‘winter blues,’ inability to go outside if often associated with feelings of fatigue and depression. Both sensory stimulation outdoors and vitamin D from sunlight exposure support health, upholding hormonal balance and circadian rhythms, protecting health and enabling more stable moods.
As with ‘winter blues,’ inability to go outside if often associated with feelings of fatigue and depression. Both sensory stimulation outdoors and vitamin D from sunlight exposure support health, upholding hormonal balance and circadian rhythms, protecting health and enabling more stable moods.
●
Families
o Improved morale.
Visiting with family members in an outdoor space, or simply enjoying the outdoors while an ailing family member rests, can reduce stress and provide a feeling of solace.
Visiting with family members in an outdoor space, or simply enjoying the outdoors while an ailing family member rests, can reduce stress and provide a feeling of solace.
●
Staff
o A positive work environment.
Access to nature supports a pleasant, positive work environment.
Access to nature supports a pleasant, positive work environment.
o
Meaningful
activities.
Outdoor spaces can offer employees, like residents, natural spaces for walking, or simply a relaxing spot to enjoy a meal while further engaging socially with residents.
Outdoor spaces can offer employees, like residents, natural spaces for walking, or simply a relaxing spot to enjoy a meal while further engaging socially with residents.
o Enhanced productivity.
Happy, well-adjusted staff and residents make for a more productive environment.
Happy, well-adjusted staff and residents make for a more productive environment.
●
Facilities
o Improved use of space.
Creating outdoor areas between living quarters and public areas can remedy perceived feelings of crowding.
Creating outdoor areas between living quarters and public areas can remedy perceived feelings of crowding.
o Opportunities for guests that don’t
overburden staff.
From large, strategically-positioned windows to web-cam technology, opportunities abound that allow guests independence, yet curtail the need for staff to accompany residents.
From large, strategically-positioned windows to web-cam technology, opportunities abound that allow guests independence, yet curtail the need for staff to accompany residents.
Keys to Success in Adding an Outdoor Living
Space to Your Senior Care Facility
Consider enlisting the help of a professional landscape architect in designing these aspects of your outdoor living space:
Consider enlisting the help of a professional landscape architect in designing these aspects of your outdoor living space:
●
Appropriate
entryways/exits.
Entryways/exits should be easily identifiable. Automatic glass doors offer convenient access.
Enclosures/fences and access gates should be camouflaged to avoid feelings of containment and prevent guests from inadvertently leaving the grounds.
Entryways/exits should be easily identifiable. Automatic glass doors offer convenient access.
Enclosures/fences and access gates should be camouflaged to avoid feelings of containment and prevent guests from inadvertently leaving the grounds.
●
Clear,
well-marked paths/areas.
Ensure smooth, level, continuous pathways leading back to building(s) comprised of stable materials to prevent slips/falls. Incorporate distinctive landmarks at critical junctions: Bright benches; water features; novelty signage. Add railings for safety/support/accessibility, ensuring a width of 6-ft minimum to accommodate couples and wheelchairs.
Ensure smooth, level, continuous pathways leading back to building(s) comprised of stable materials to prevent slips/falls. Incorporate distinctive landmarks at critical junctions: Bright benches; water features; novelty signage. Add railings for safety/support/accessibility, ensuring a width of 6-ft minimum to accommodate couples and wheelchairs.
●
Colorful
plants and structures.
Choose colorful plants/trees to help with orientation/independence. Fragrant foliage is a boon, aiding sensory stimulation. Non-toxicity is crucial for safety, with familiar regional plants preferred for sentimentality and to promote wildlife.
Choose colorful plants/trees to help with orientation/independence. Fragrant foliage is a boon, aiding sensory stimulation. Non-toxicity is crucial for safety, with familiar regional plants preferred for sentimentality and to promote wildlife.
●
Nearby
restroom and water access.
Inconveniently located facilities can deter residents.
Inconveniently located facilities can deter residents.
●
Lighting
Multi-purpose lighting is integral for safety and security, allowing for a clear visual and extending the usable hours of outdoor space.
Multi-purpose lighting is integral for safety and security, allowing for a clear visual and extending the usable hours of outdoor space.
●
Flexible
Design
Space(s) should be varied and flexible, with areas for solitude and activity. Activities should be displayed front-and-center to encourage guests to observe/join. Furniture should likewise be versatile and support both ventures, from ledges and benches to sofa sectional-style arrangements. Ample seating allows guests to rest when needed. Avoid conductive furnishings such as metal to prevent burns, and slatted furniture, which can be unstable.
Space(s) should be varied and flexible, with areas for solitude and activity. Activities should be displayed front-and-center to encourage guests to observe/join. Furniture should likewise be versatile and support both ventures, from ledges and benches to sofa sectional-style arrangements. Ample seating allows guests to rest when needed. Avoid conductive furnishings such as metal to prevent burns, and slatted furniture, which can be unstable.
●
Shelter
& Shade
Shelter can encourage outdoor facilities use in those wary of venturing too far from the building. Shelter and shade are also crucial to any outdoor design for seniors, who are extremely temperature sensitive. Weather may also rapidly change, causing issues for meandering patrons. Flexible shelter, such as the Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola, allows for greater use of space in changing weather. 170-degrees of louver rotation offers precise control, delivering just the right amount of sun, shade, or rain protection with built-in sensor technology that responds on-cue for guest comfort and safety.
Shelter can encourage outdoor facilities use in those wary of venturing too far from the building. Shelter and shade are also crucial to any outdoor design for seniors, who are extremely temperature sensitive. Weather may also rapidly change, causing issues for meandering patrons. Flexible shelter, such as the Arcadia adjustable aluminum pergola, allows for greater use of space in changing weather. 170-degrees of louver rotation offers precise control, delivering just the right amount of sun, shade, or rain protection with built-in sensor technology that responds on-cue for guest comfort and safety.
●
Bells
& Whistles
What other stunning additions might provide added enjoyment in your garden?
What other stunning additions might provide added enjoyment in your garden?
o Motorized
screens to prevent pests.
o Cookout
areas.
o Patio
heaters/gas fireplaces/fire pits.
o Greenhouses
or raised vegetable/flower beds, which offer easier access.
o Outdoor
TVs/projector screen equipment for movie nights.
What does
the exterior of your senior care facility say about your business? Boost your
business’ reputation and popularity. Discover the difference a well-executed
outdoor living space can make for your residents, your staff, and your
business. Contact Denver Pergola Systems today.
This post
was originally published at http://www.denverpergolas.com/outdoor-spaces-benefit-residents-staff-family-elder-care-facilities/
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