Designing an Alzheimer's Disease Facility
The most typical form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. It is a progressive disease that is common in elderly people. In 2020, approximately 5.8 million Americans will be going through Alzheimer’s disease. The number of people with Alzheimer’s disease can increase to 13.8 million by 2060.
Not all Alzheimer’s disease patients live in their homes. Some people prefer to stay in Alzheimer’s disease facilities for various reasons. But the most important purpose of these facilities is to provide patients with Alzheimer’s disease with a safe and secure environment. It should make the patient’s daily life comfortable, well-provided, and protected.
Photo by Bruno Martins
Various Types of Alzheimer's Disease Care Facilities
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease can choose among different facilities specifically made for those living with this condition. Among these are:
In-home care
The majority of the patients choose to stay in their homes. In this personal facility, the caregiver is usually a family member. The family or the patient can also opt to hire a medical professional to give care to them in their home.
Adult daycare facilities
This facility is for those who cannot live independently. It is also for patients whose homes are not conducive to their condition. These facilities provide supervision and care from professionals. It also provides social opportunities, so the patient can still socialize with other people.
Adult family homes
This is similar to a daycare facility, but it only caters to a limited number of patients. It is for those who cannot live independently but still do not need total nursing care. Socialization with other patients and their families is allowed in the facility as it will help the patients improve their cognitive functions.
Nursing home facilities
This facility provides medical care and support to patients who can no longer live independently. It offers round-the-clock supervision and nursing care to patients. These facilities usually hold activities that will help their patients manage their conditions.
Hospice care facilities
This is where patients who are dying get support physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. Care is being provided by social workers, nurses, clergy, and counselors. The facility helps with the pain control of the patient and the issues encountered in the process of dying.
Alzheimer’s Disease Facility Design Must-Haves
When designing an Alzheimer’s disease facility, the condition of the patients should be considered at all costs. Keep in mind that the facility is supposed to help the patients live a comfortable and better life. Therefore, the design is critical to serving the purpose of the facility for its patients, staff, and support system.
These must-haves can help create an Alzheimer’s disease-friendly facility.
1. Comfort
The facility design should be comfortable for the patients. Most of the time, Alzheimer’s disease patients feel lost and anxious. The facility should be able to make them feel at home and comfortable.
2. Home-like environment
The design of the facility should make the patients feel at home. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease easily get annoyed, afraid, or irritated. If the facility has a homelike environment, the patients can easily relax and calm down.
3. Privacy
Though many patients require support and care from caregivers, the facility should still give them the privacy they need. The patients also need respect and privacy for personal things such as bathing, sleeping, or dressing.
4. Activity encouraging
Alzheimer’s disease patients are given different activities that will help them keep their mental state active, alert, and working. The facility design should encourage activities that help the patients delay the progress of their condition. Some of the activities that the patients should do are gardening, exercising, arts, yoga, and many others.
5. Wander encouraging
The Alzheimer’s disease facility should have an encouraging design for wandering. Patients need to be able to walk around freely and safely. Wandering is encouraged among patients with Alzheimer’s disease, as it allows them to connect to the environment and people around them. Installing an outdoor area where they can hang out and just relax while enjoying the outdoors helps them reconnect to memories.
6. Complete medical facilities
Patients require medical care and attention all the time. The facility should have everything the patients need for their conditions. It should have enough space for health care and medical requirements.
7. Safety and security
The families of Alzheimer’s disease patients should feel at ease about leaving their family members in the facility. The design of the facility should be Alzheimer’s disease-friendly. There should be no obstacles or barriers where the patient’s safety might be put at risk or in danger. The patients should be able to roam freely, do activities, and just stay comfortably inside the facility.
8. Long-lasting design
Everything in the facility should last a long time. There are a lot of things going on inside a facility. Different activities, lots of foot traffic, wheelchairs, and medical activities are what the facility needs to endure. It should be made to last a long time to prevent repairs and reconstruction.
9. Sensory stimulation
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease go through different sensory issues. An increased level of sensory stimulation can help improve their memory.
10. Therapeutic features
Those with Alzheimer’s disease need different therapies. The facility should be safe and conducive to these therapies. The patients should be able to attend their therapies with ease, safety, and comfort.
The Alzheimer’s Disease Facility should be for:
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease
Staff
Family and friends
Local support
When designing an Alzheimer’s disease facility, everyone who will be in it should be considered. While its main purpose is to provide a comfortable and safe shelter for the patients, other people like the staff, the patient’s family and friends, and other local support should also be considered.
At a Glance
Every year, the number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease increases. This also increases the need to have more facilities for them. Designing a facility for people with Alzheimer’s disease should not focus on the beauty of its interiors or exteriors. Instead, the design should create a facility that will "be there" for the patients throughout the remainder of their lives.
Author : Josh Yanong
