Environments for Aging - Spring 2022 - 128

design outlook
Making waves
Dana Speight Reed of LS3P discusses how Seafi elds at Kiawah
Island is designed to support aging in place by Anne DiNardo
D
RIVEN BY DEMAND for elevated senior
housing with integrated healthcare,
newly formed nonprofit Kiawah Life
Plan Village Inc. in Kiawah Island, S.C.,
purchased a 9-acre site to develop the
first 62+ luxury continuing care retirement
community (CCRC) on the island, scheduled to
open in 2024. Here, Dana Speight Reed, principal
and studio leader at LS3P (Charleston, S.C.),
the architecture and interior design fi rm on the
project, talks about designing the community
to support aging in place thanks to an in-house
medical clinic, operated by the Medical University
of South Carolina (MUSC), and the project's
robust technology infrastructure.
How does the community integrate
healthcare services onto the site?
Kiawah Island, once a predominantly seasonal
community for vacationers, has become a
year-round home for a growing population.
Seafi elds at Kiawah will provide a continuum
of care for seniors in a familiar, desirable location
where social and support networks can be
maintained and expanded. However, to date,
primary healthcare services are very limited
on the island. By engaging with MUSC to create
a fi rst-of-its-kind in-house medical clinic,
Seafi elds residents will have access to primary
care physicians and medical specialists both via
telehealth and direct on-site care.
What's the biggest challenge to adding
medical services in senior living?
It's essential to right-size the clinic, level of
care, and range of services with what can be
supported economically. With limited healthcare
services on the island, the clinic is able to
deliver the highest level of care tailored to the
residents of Seafi elds. State-specifi c licensing
and insurance requirements also could be an
impediment. Here, the clinic is designed to
meet the life safety and health standard criteria
for adult ambulatory care due to the utilization
by residents, including assisted living
residents, and the types of services offered.
MUSC Health also must obtain a local business
license to operate.
How was a digital-fi rst mindset adopted
on this project?
Digital technology will be incorporated directly
in community communications, service and
support requests, security, wellness monitoring,
and entertainment. Telehealth capabilities
are integrated into the clinic and assisted
living. Digital infrastructure will be built into
each unit, allowing residents to take advantage
of smart devices to provide ever-increasing
control over their home environment, such as
the ability to customize temperature, lighting,
and sound controls.
What technology is on your radar for
use in senior living going forward?
Advancing technologies such as artificial
intelligence and robotics will streamline
and make routine, utilitarian tasks such
as housekeeping and deliveries more
effi cient, enabling care providers to focus on
interaction with residents. For senior living
environments-and all living environments-
the design challenge is implementing new
technology while creating environments that
enhance and encourage human connection
and community.
128 | spring 2022
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