Many retirement communities, especially a rapidly growing number of assisted living facilities, tout their homelike atmosphere.
A homey place that’s cozy and safe just sounds a whole lot better than a nursing facility with a sub-acute treatment center.
In many cases, though, the feel-good terminology is little more than talk. The places haven’t really created a homelike environment. The buildings are still big and ugly, more like hospitals than houses.
Increasingly, though, more attention is being paid to the features that can turn a large, sterile building into a friendly and comfortable place.
And developers are putting these features into their designs so the finished buildings are more like a home and just plain nice.
“We pay a lot of attention to the design,” said Mark Schulte, president and chief executive, Brookdale Living Communities, which has a handful of seniors-only properties nationwide and more under way.
“We spend $25-$30 million for a building. You can buy good design or bad design. Good design takes time and talent.”
Though most seniors make their final decision about where to live based on price, service and location, they shouldn’t overlook the design features of a building, experts say.
Building elements — such as the floor plan, public areas and even something as seemingly inconsequential as door handles — can greatly impact the livability and homelike feeling of a building.
“We want to create a place for the older person,” said architect Lucien Lagrange, designer of five retirement residences for Chicago-based Brookdale.
“The design concept, down to the last detail, has to address that older person.”
So what makes a big building seem like home?
Not long ago, architectural consultant John P. Marsden conducted a survey of seniors and their families to find out what building features created a homey atmosphere. Results showed that certain familiar housing “cues” elicited the warm feelings associated with a family home.
In particular, homey-type buildings were constructed of natural materials, such as wood and stone. Homelike buildings were human size. In other words, the best buildings weren’t the biggest.
The buildings judged nicest were the ones that seemed the most approachable — the ones with details such as small entrances and comfortable outdoor seating areas.
For seniors, the first design factor to consider when selecting a homelike community is the curb appeal of the building, or how it looks, according to architect Lagrange.
“We don’t want the building to look like a high school,” he said. “When you look at the building it should make you feel like you want to live there.”
In particular, Lagrange likes buildings that use brick and limestone, materials associated with traditional architectural styles.
He believes older people are naturally more conservative than younger people and that seniors prefer a building with a classic look.
A gabled roof has home appeal. And a low-rise building is usually less intimidating and more homelike than a big building.
The entryway is an important feature. Look for an entrance that provides a sense of arrival, according to Lagrange. But the entryway should also offer some protection from inclement weather.
In Marsden’s survey, consumers preferred small entrances instead of the large ones that cover a driveway. Big drive-throughs gave seniors the feeling they were entering a hospital, hotel or even a mortuary, not a nice home.
A homelike building should fit with the surrounding area, Lagrange said.
“The design has to be accepted by the neighborhood,” he noted. Lagrange added that well-designed seniors-only buildings are not isolated. Instead, they fit within a bigger community.
“Seniors have to be part of the community,” he said. “Seniors don’t want to be isolated in the middle of a field. They want to have a place to go shopping and be entertained.”
Seniors should consider interior design details too.
“The common areas should work together,” Lagrange said.
Seniors spend a lot of time in common areas, so the amenities are important. Common rooms should have a positive, airy feel, with big windows and high 10- or 12-foot ceilings.
The dining room should be on the ground floor, near the elevator. This makes it easy for residents to get to their meals.
Lagrange likes to situate a landscaped garden outside the dining room.
“The space should relate to the outside,” he said.
Also, it is important to avoid places with long corridors. Some older people can’t walk a long way to the elevator.
Lengthy hallways also tend to remind people of hotels or hospitals.
In Marsden’s consumer study, picnic tables and benches were viewed as one of the common touches that made a place seem like home. Lagrange also likes strategically placed park benches where residents can rest or gather to talk.
Inside the apartment, look for hardware that makes it easy for seniors to use the windows and kitchen cabinets. Door handles, window cranks and faucets should be designed for seniors, Lagrange said.
And what home would be complete without a pet? In his building design, Lagrange likes to include ground-floor apartments that have a small patio or outdoor space for pets. Then, you can live with your dog — just like you did at home.
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Jane Adler is a Chicago-area freelance writer. If you have questions or information to share regarding housing for senior citizens, write to Senior Housing c/o Chicago Tribune Real Estate Section, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill., 60611. Or e-mail adler@corecomm.net
