BUILDING TYPES

1. Geriatric Outpatient Clinic: "A specialized medical clinic that focuses on the wide range of physical, psychological, social and medical needs related primarily to aging"
2. Nursing Homes/Long-Term Care: "Traditionally a medically based model of care for very frail seniors requiring 24-hour care"
3. Assisted Living Residences: "A catchall name for a wide variety of programs that balance housing with support of 'Activities of daily living', such as bathing, dressing" etc.
4. Dementia/Alzheimer's Care: "specialized program and setting crafted to meet the special needs of people with cognitive impairment, that is impairment of abilities related to thought, perception and memory"
5. Independent/Residential Living
6. Apartments/Congregate Housing: "Housing with services designed for the elderly such as one meal per day, housekeeping, and activities"
7. Continuing Care Retirement Community(CCRC): "A model of retirement living that provides a full spectrum of services and living accommodations, from independent living through assisted living and nursing care"
8. Active Adult Communities: "A variety of lifestyle choice models of living that may simply provide more carefree living with an appropriately designed residence linked to active recreation, entertainment and continuing education options as well as proximity to healthcare fitness and other community services" The definition from the National Institute of Adult Daycare, NIAD: "A community-based group program designed to meet the needs of functionally impaired adults through an individual plan of care"

factors should be considered in the environment design

Strategies for Coping with the Biological Aspect of Aging
1. Device selection

• Lengthen the time intervals for devices as automatic doors
  
• Light signal of on/off
  
• Avoid devices needing "precise manipulation"
  
• Sufficient space for resting near hallway or elevator since less strength
  
• Multiple-sense involved alarm system
  

2. Spatial Identity
Increase space recognition by breaking symmetry and repetition of space, possibly with intestinally designed "landmarks"
3. Mechanical System

• Adjustable physical environment control for individuals: Personal Environment Module
  

4. Surface / Finishing:

• "Avoid loose rugs, slippery surface"
  

5. Dining Space design (due to decline in digestion)

• Eat in kitchen
  
• Create views and space for social communication
  
• Day-lighting and high quality artificial lighting in kitchen for full color spectrum to increase appetite. (The example brought up in class by Prof. Vivian Loftness about the increase in retail sail of Walmart by introducing sky lighting)
  

6. Lighting related design

• Reduce or avoid glare since that can cause "momentary blindness"
  
• Higher lighting levels
  

7. Acoustic Design

• Reduce ambient noise level to increase SNR (Signal Noise Ratio)