Nursing Home Design Guide
2006
Engage those who can function in
supplementing palliative and end-of-
groups, with varying levels of
life care offered through home care
or in other settings.
participation or attentiveness
Monitor, simultaneously, the more
6. Program Rooms
active residents who may freely
Residents' needs can be supplemented
move about, explore and engage
for memory support programs with in-
Provide small group dining
house day care or specially outfitted
Have ready access to small, secure
program rooms. Program rooms are
outside space.
generally a secured area at about 36 nsf
5. Active Residents and Small,
[3.34 m] per person, including the
Dedicated Alzheimer's Care Units
room, bathroom(s), wander garden, staff
work space, storage, and collateral
Small, distinct, and home-like units are
one option for meeting the needs of
materials that residents can touch, use
and explore. Figure 3.28 illustrates a
cognitively impaired residents who are
mobile and energetic and/or restless or
series of individual and group activity
options.
particularly disoriented. Consider the
following:
7. Sensory Stimuli Technology
Small groups limit the impact of the
For profoundly mentally impaired
physical environment and the
individuals, Nursing Homes use large
unpredictable behaviors of residents
items to engage the person through
on each other.
his/her basic senses of vision, audition,
In these smaller settings, staff may
touch and vibration. Figure 3.29
be diversified in their duties. This
illustrates stimuli that can be
can simplify food service and provide
incorporated into program space, casual
a more relaxed environment. This is
gathering areas, or even adapted for
necessary for responding to
use in small alcoves virtually
wandering residents, while
surrounding an individual.
simultaneously caring for those who
are occupied.
Connect several small units so that
pantries, licensed nursing staff, and
environmental services may be
shared.
Consider small units with home-like
ambiance for those residents who
receive licensed nursing care due to
severe clinical depression,
behavioral management, or
psychosocial needs.
Small units can be used for in-patient
hospice care during more acute
stages of symptom management,
3 - 46
Office of Facilities Management
Previous Page
