Nursing Home Design Guide
2006
Introduction
This nursing home design guide
practicable quality of life" for residents
represents a unique collaborative effort
rather than solely treating the medical
on the part of architects, nursing home
diagnosis.
providers, clinicians, and others to set
forth an approach to designing and
The new culture embraces the resident
building nursing homes based on a
as the focal point of care and delivers an
resident centered, resident focused
environment conducive to facilitating
approach to care. The guide represents
quality or life as well as quality of care
the best thinking of experts who are
while overriding the negative
committed to transforming the culture of
stereotypes. Very personal components
care in nursing homes built on the
of residing in the nursing home such as
notion that in large part, the actual
the need for privacy, the need for
facility design itself contributes to the
natural light, comfortable and safe
well being and positive outcomes of
flooring, engagement in meaningful use
care in such facilities.
of time, inviting dining experiences, and
living space that generates elements of
The transformation of the culture of care
the comforts of home, are
in nursing homes is grounded in two
characteristics of the new nursing home.
essential principles:
Design that enhances the physical
1. The resident comes first, and
environment to support quality of life for
2. Nursing homes today and into the
the resident is critical to positive
future are defined as a dynamic
outcomes of care regardless of why the
array of services when hospital care
resident is admitted to the nursing
is no longer necessary and nursing
home.
home is the only option.
The challenge then, from a design
Nursing homes have suffered from their
perspective, is to de-institutionalize the
affiliation with the hospital model,
facility space in order to promote
negative press, and overall
fullness of life for residents regardless of
institutionalization of those who need
reason for admission. This guide then
this service. The transformation of the
will serve as a resource for those
culture of care in nursing homes focuses
embarking on the path of creating
attention on enhancing the resident's
environments where residents thrive in
ability to function and live fully until he or
ways never imagined possible in
she dies. The driver of care in the new
institutions of care.
culture is achieving "the highest
Office of Facilities Management
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