Senior 生活 and Long-Term Care in a Post-Pandemic World: Part 2
Throughout the 新型冠状病毒肺炎 pandemic, 长期护理和退休社区的物理设计受到批评，被认为是疫情在老年人中迅速蔓延的关键因素. 特别是, three- and four-bedroom units, each with a single shared washroom, 被发现是导致这种高传染性病毒传播的原因吗. 除了, 医疗点和其他关键地区的卫生站数量往往不足, which could be used to support proper hand washing protocols. In some cases, these are missing altogether. The number of air changes throughout each facility, including the intake of outdoor air, along with the lack of isolation or containment zones, may also be contributing to the spread of the disease.
相比之下, hospital design standards are highly regulated to incorporate these, 还有很多其他的, 最佳实践, including evidence-based infection prevention and control measures. 因此，大多数治疗COVID - 19患者的医院爆发的次数较少. 我们可以从规范良好的医疗保健设计中学到哪些可以应用于长期护理和其他集中护理环境的经验教训?
Considerations include:
- Incorporating private rooms with ensuite washrooms, wherever possible
- Incorporating hygiene stations in all resident rooms, 餐厅, 活动区域, 单元入口, and wherever food or medication are handled, to ensure hand sanitizing is made easy and accessible
- Incorporating showers in all ensuite washrooms for assisted bathing, 从而减少公共洗浴设施内的污染风险
- 为更频繁的换气设计暖通空调系统，包括增加新鲜空气的摄入量
- 设计设施和暖通空调系统，以便在病毒爆发时建立隔离和控制中心
- 为个人防护装备(PPE)提供更多存储，包括在护理点
- Designing smaller resident units (e.g. eight-ten beds), 由专用或分散电梯和单向流动循环路线提供服务, whenever possible
- 制定战略，使家庭在大流行和疫情爆发期间安全探望居民
- 选择能够承受频繁清洁和消毒的材料、饰面和家具
在第一部分中, 我们确定了情绪关注护理(EFC)护理作为一种新兴趋势，在长期护理中越来越受关注, particularly for those with dementia. Where implemented, EFC has had a profound impact on space, due in part to the creation of smaller, 自给自足的住宅单元，可能包括住宅式厨房, 餐厅区域, 休息室和活动区，以支持个人和团体活动. Since dementia patients may be easily agitated, the availability of quiet, 僻静的空间可以帮助工作人员让居民平静下来，同时将他们转移到另一项活动中. 重要的是, 鼓励学生参与一些活动，比如帮助准备零食, so kitchens must be designed for safety, including barrier-free considerations.
Given the trend towards home-like, residential-scale environments to support new models of care, 再加上有必要考虑采取积极措施应对传染病暴发, how can these seemingly opposing needs be successfully integrated? ‘Invisible’ measures such as HVAC design are easily addressed, 但是，为了鼓励频繁使用而必须在显眼处设置的卫生站可能显得突兀和制度化. It’s clear that, during a pandemic or viral outbreak, 为了保护居民的健康，这些设施必须具有弹性，并在非常高的水平上运行, staff and visitors. Facility design must, 因此, 平衡“家的本质”与所需的健康和安全协议的理想美学.
Joyce拥有超过38年的设计和管理经验, 实验室, and commercial projects. 她是一名熟练的医疗保健规划师，在开发功能方面具有专业知识, contemporary solutions for a broad range of care environments. With a focus on the patient experience, Joyce is a passionate advocate for designs that improve safety, enhance independence, and promote dignity for a broad range of users including children, seniors and the frail elderly. 她与各种文化团体和服务不足的社区的合作特别有见地和有益.
Joyce基于对医疗保健服务提供的未来趋势的深刻理解，为她的规划解决方案带来了丰富的知识和创新. 通过参与多个司法管辖区的复杂项目, 她成功地领导用户团体和其他利益攸关方开展建立共识的活动，同时管理相互冲突的优先事项和期望.
