Have you ever walked into a room or building and felt instantly relaxed or happy to be there? Maybe it was the tastefully decorated interior, or the great use of space and flow that made you feel this way. Or, have you ever felt the complete opposite: Cramped, agitated or depressed, for seemingly no reason, until you realise it’s the physical space you are in that is giving you such bad vibes?
As humans, we cannot help but interact with our environments. How a space is designed determines how we will engage with it. This can be in a positive, negative, or even indifferent way. This principal is no less true for the elderly and the living spaces in which they choose to retire.
Quality aged care is promoted by well-maintained buildings and living spaces
According to Dr Leonhard Oberascher of LeonColour, specially-designed, therapeutic spaces promote recovery, autonomy and quality of life. This is why consistently maintaining and improving the retirement buildings that you oversee is important for promoting quality aged care.
There is a link between happy retirees and the quality of their living spaces
The guys at Health Knowledge point out that health and housing have a multi-faceted relationship. So, what do they say a healthy (and happy) home looks like?
A building that promotes quality aged care is sound in structure and provides adequate space for residents to attend to their personal hygiene, food preparation, sleeping, relaxing, quietness and privacy. When it comes to retirement village living, the buildings and living spaces should also cater for ongoing socialising and interaction. Quality aged care involves easy access to local services and ensures the right security measures are in place to protect elderly residents against crime.
There are always housing hazards to consider when maintaining quality living spaces for the elderly
According to the experts at Health Knowledge, to guarantee ongoing quality aged care within your retirement village, you will need to ensure:
- Adequate energy efficiency: Are your buildings well insulated from the cold?
- The elimination of heat risks: Do your buildings retain a great deal of heat because of their positioning? If so, are there means for cooling them down? This could be as simple as planting enough trees to increase the shade around the building, or installing air conditioners, thicker windows, blinds etc.
- Good design to prevent falls and injuries: Have you considered the elements of each building and residence that could increase the risk of elderly residents tripping, falling or injuring themselves?
- The prevention of damp and mould to prevent health-related conditions, such as respiratory infection and general ill health.
- Good ventilation: This prevents mould and damp, and also decreases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning (from fires in fireplaces, or gas from gas lamps, heaters or stoves).
- Modern and clean living spaces: Contemporary living spaces are less likely to be built using hazardous materials or products. Spaces also need to be easy to clean to maintain appropriate health and hygiene standards.
The perks of a well-built and maintained retirement village is that it frees residents up to focus on building a quality living space.
Appropriate property maintenance is crucial to maintaining quality aged care. With peace of mind that all of the structural, safety and functional aspects of their homes are being taken care of, elderly residents can focus on building on the aesthetics of their homes. This could involve landscaping their private gardens, redecorating, or giving their homes a facelift with a fresh coat of paint.