Thursday, October 17, 2019 | By: Tina Delia, NCIDQ
Up on the blog this week I wanted to address and area of interior design that is near and dear to my heart. Senior Living and Assisted Living Interior Design. Growing up, my mother worked in a state run Senior Living Facility. As a child, we often went to visit; it made me sad to see the conditions that the residents were living in. Fast forward to the summer before my senior year of college, I got hired as the receptionist at a Senior and Assisted Living Residence. It was there that I grew attached to many of the residents. It was a very well run residence and it had a more home like atmosphere. I would often think about how I would design a beautiful residence for our aging community. Design is in the details so here is my take on the elements that make up the modern senior living residence.
Modern senior living design details in common areas open the door to an entertaining space filled with activities for the culturally diverse group of people who live there. It can be challenging to devise an activity plan when you have to consider varied cultural and religious backgrounds. Add the fact that some residents are single and some are married and it’s a challenge that presents itself every day.
Photo Cred
Photo Cred
Senior living design trends for women focus on such amenities as hair and nail salons with private areas for massage. Women in senior living also enjoy playing cards, painting and crafts so activity rooms with separate areas are needed to accommodate them. Designated cooking areas should be provided so everyone can try out a new recipe, take a cooking class or attend a pastry workshop to stimulate team building among residents.
Photo Cred
Photo Cred
Photo Cred
Senior living interior design space for men can be challenging when single women tend to make up the majority of the residents in a senior living community. Designing for men and incorporating activities that they can engage in together can include, playing pool, hanging out in a common area pub, or just pumping iron at a supervised gym. It is very important to have areas designed where guys can have some male bonding time.
Photo Cred
Photo Cred
Photo Cred
Senior living interior design can focus on the dining experiences which should offer a wide variety of food options 24 hours a day. From vegetarian to kosher meals, many dining options make it possible to cater to a diverse pallet when it comes to food service. Celebrating all holidays and providing an abundance of food options, including buffets, help encourage fun conversations about heritage and history and culture. This provides residents an opportunity to get to know each other better by sharing some family history and discussing their favorite traditions.
Whether it is independent living design, assisted living design or memory care design, integrated looks play a pivotal role in the space as people look beyond their current situation and into the future. Designing space for couples, singles and people with a high level of acuity or residents in memory care should not stand out as an obvious design detail. All the beauty and grace of one senior living environment should overflow into every space and welcome all residents equally.
Photo Cred
I hope you found this blog post helpful. Sometimes I don't even know if anyone is reading this. Drop me a note below!
In addition to designing for the senior living community, we also design boutique hotels, office spaces, multi family development projects, other commercial spaces such as retail spaces, and fitness center projects through the tri state area. We work here in Philadelphia, the main line, and even Nationally! If you enjoyed reading this piece please leave a comment and let us know. AND, let's get social. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and connect on LinkedIn!
About our Founder
Tina Delia, a native of Ocean County, NJ, current resident of Philadelphia, is the Founder and Principal Interior Designer of Delia Designs. For the past nine years, Tina has been steadfast in her vision and continues to develop herself personally and professionally. She is dedicated to excellence and insistence on forward thinking design.
At the forefront of her designs is the idea that our spaces have the ability to transform our lives. She is looking to move us, inspire us to see, think and create freely. After all, it's not only about creating beautiful spaces, it's about touching the lives of the people who live, work and walk through those spaces.
About the Intern
Eleni Palamidis, a native to Philadelphia, is currently a student at Community College of Philadelphia and will be transferring to Moore College of Art and Design in the Fall. She has always had a passion for interior design and creative ventures. While at Moore she will be pursuing a major in Interior Design with a minor in Graphic Design and Business.
Growing up in the Greek community has shaped Eleni to be the person she is today. She has been fortunate enough to have visited many of the islands in Greece, to which she credits her love for Architecture. Eleni hopes to one day open her own Interior Design studio and continue to do what she loves.
1 Comments
Jan 6, 2024, 7:44:08 AM
Monica - Excelente artículo 😊 estoy proyectando un club senior en zona rural del valle del cauca Colombia