Nursing Home Design Guide
2006
of impaired residents rather than
3.6
Activity and Social
individually take residents to central
Spaces
areas for routine, daily activities. On-unit
social spaces should be designed for
3.6.1 General
group work areas instead of dining
accommodations. Staff members should
Design Veterans' Nursing Homes to
not be required to rearrange heavy
include a variety of social opportunities,
furniture or remove unused chairs before
both on- and off-unit, which can be
holding such activities. Nursing staff
customized according to mental and
should be able to conveniently monitor
physical needs.
residents in on-unit social spaces.
3.6.2 Planning Considerations
3. Translating Volumes of Users into
Space Sizes
1. Resident Participation
To arrive at sizes appropriate to
Nearly all residents engage in some
accommodate the residents including
social interaction, leisure pursuits,
their devices, the equipment used and
sensory stimuli, and/or music-related
fixed room features for five common
programs. The typical resident may
social amenities. Refer to Table 3.6 at
have 10 to 13 hours per day available
the end of this section.
for personal and casual activities. For
most residents, less than 10% of this
4. Focal Points
time (or 1 to 3 hours per day) is spent
Assembling people in wheelchairs or
in organized, professionally led
recliners around a staff station and/or in
programs.
the halls is not acceptable for casual
gatherings. Residents' focus should be
Special events may draw about 50% of
toward meaningful life references, such
a Nursing Home population about 1 to
as art and nature rather than medical
4 times a month for the more frail
records, staff stations or staff
residents, more often for the more
adept. Volunteers and veterans'
groups contribute to strong social
5. Jurisdictional Requirements
calendars in most veterans' Nursing
Space requirements vary for social,
Homes.
activity, and visiting space such as
recreation, quiet and family spaces.
Typically, 60-75% of the participants
Develop a functional program to address
are likely to use wheelchairs during
activities, casual seating, destinations
their social activities.
and specialized facilities, such as those
for people with Alzheimer's disease or
2. Staff Time
other related disorders.
For each 45-60 individuals, the typical
Nursing Home employs about one
3.6.3 Design Considerations
person for its recreation staff; nursing
assistants and others fill in as time is
Design activity spaces and social areas
available. Typical groups for daily
to respond to the different residents'
activities number 6-20 people.
abilities and needs. Refer to Table 3.7 at
Recreation staff usually meets groups
Office of Facilities Management
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