It’s no secret to health care professionals that well-designed spaces contribute directly to the well-being of patients. That’s why Carleton University students have developed a host of innovative designs for an aging population in long-term care facilities.
Partnering with Cummer Lodge in Toronto, master’s students from Carleton’s Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism led by Prof. Federica Goffi – with the help of two grad students in the School of Social Work – developed a book (available for download: http://newsroom.carleton.ca/wp-content/files/aD2-now.pdf) full of insightful and creative design solutions to many issues that some decades-old facilities face and the impediments to a better life for residents, their family and staff.
Cummer Lodge is one of 10 long-term care homes operated by the City of Toronto’s Long-Term Care Homes and Services. For further information visit here.
Colin Vincent, a master’s student in the social work program, says: “This collaborative project between social work and architecture seemed like a particularly exciting opportunity to explore the important connections between socioeconomic structures (popular ideas about dementia, healthcare funding, quality of care) and the design of physical structures for people living with dementia (long-term care facilities). Further, it provided a unique opportunity to learn and test out concepts on the ground, in a real, long-term care facility. It was unbelievable as students to be able to visit Cummer Lodge and experience the space from a design perspective, a caregiver perspective and, as much as possible, a resident’s perspective. Cummer Lodge provided a vibrant, real-world context for our research and design – a daily reminder of who we were working for and why.”
The 12 projects include a fresh take on public spaces by incorporating wood in various forms like ceiling pieces to diffuse sound, central nursing stations, playful continuous handrails to stimulate sensory navigation, taller windows letting in more light and ventilation, and therapeutic baths.
Master’s student Steph Bolduc worked on a project entitled Wall to Ceiling. “This project focuses on the use of digital design and manufacturing techniques, making efficient use of wood, arguably our most sustainable building material. Not only is wood sustainable but it provides resoundingly positive effects for the residents, staff and family members alike, by bringing in natural qualities to the building’s interior. By introducing a combination of CNC technologies and wood products, it allows the facility to make necessary changes in an incremental manner with little to no disruption from carpentry equipment because of the prefabricated nature of the components. The design also builds on existing structure, thus saving valuable funds which could be re-allocated to upgrading medical equipment and increasing full time staff.”
Bolduc says: “The book shows that there are potential architectural solutions to upgrading our aging health facilities which can vastly improve the quality of life for the residents of these facilities. This is an issue that touches everyone as we either have a family member or know someone residing in a Long Term Care home. Our solutions are experimental by nature and thus require ongoing study and involvement from all parties, to continue improving all aspects of potential designs.”
This is a top-notch collaborative educational project among two disciplines and Cummer Lodge which provides a blueprint for other facilities as Canada’s baby boomers age and require care. Cummer Lodge has a special care unit with 32 beds, home to residents with diagnoses within the dementia spectrum, Huntington’s disease and/or a diagnosis of mental illness. Creating a home-like atmosphere is important to the facility.
Monday, March 19, 2012 in Grad Student Research, News
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