Wellbeing in Later Living Design – Our Responsibility

Good design is a responsibility. It has the power to transform lives – for the better.

It’s World Wellbeing Week 2021, promoting awareness of the different aspects of people’s wellbeing, such as social, physical, emotional, community and environmental wellbeing. This resonates with our Later Living & Care Home Architects where the wellbeing of elderly residents is at the forefront of our design.

In touch with the latest research across the UK, our Specialist Later living Architects are fully conversant with design regulations and latest innovations, producing Care Home Design which is at the forefront of Later Living Architecture.

**Foremost in our minds, and a driving factor for project success, is that our residential care home designs are homes. Human-centred design is at the heart of all our work.**

Covid has highlighted more than ever, how vulnerable elderly residents can be when it comes to isolation. In addition to designing homes at Quattro, we also strive to create communities. A strong sense of community encourages a sense of home and importantly – belonging.

Generous internal community spaces, plenty of natural light, circulation and covered outdoor spaces are standard. However, by embracing and applying Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) principles we can go one step further to ensure that in addition to this, the needs of residents are genuinely met, and designs are adaptable for future changing demands.

We invited Andy Tansill, Director and Later Living Team Leader, to reflect on these aspects of wellbeing within Quattro’s Care Home Designs.

“HAPPI principles ensure residents feel part of a wider community and our Care Home Designers ensure social inclusion and intergenerational opportunities underpin our design, helping to safeguard wellbeing. Enabling independence and encouraging connection and a sense of community are important drivers for our Care Home Design.”

At Quattro, other Key Design Features that promote Wellbeing include:

Access to green spaces
Increased lighting levels in certain areas and natural daylight wherever possible
Acoustics insulation and acoustic clarity
Providing natural ventilation
Wayfinding pathways to increase spontaneous social interactions
Recreational spaces for a community dialogue
Private residential areas with private balconies as well as shared areas with communal garden spaces – seen with Amber Wood – allow residences to flourish independently whilst avoiding possible isolation.

We combine the specialist demands of individual projects, with the wellbeing of future residents. With specific attention to accessibility and adaptability; we create highly supportive environments, barrier free, promoting independence and autonomy, not control.

Evolving influence of HAPPI design principles

In recent years, the over 55’s have been influenced by such appealing design, recognising the wider benefits of housing schemes designed with wellbeing at its core. This has helped to, address local housing shortages as downsizing becomes a more attractive option freeing up larger homes inhabited by the older generation. It also reinforces an issue raised in HAPPI 3; housing initiatives need to focus on the older population as well as the young.

More recently, HAPPI is looking to the wellbeing of people living with Dementia. A report from an inquiry by the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People, calls for HAPPI principles to now be updated to incorporate ‘Dementia-ready’ features to ensure wellbeing for Dementia residents.

You can read more on our Dementia wellbeing specialist services here.