Environments for Aging - Winter 2017 - 11

New senior living design tools
As the baby boomer population ages and the need for senior living
solutions continues to grow, designers, architects, and operators
are working to create environments that support the diverse needs
of residents, families, and caregivers. Below, find details on a few
new resources available to help:

© PAÚL RIVERA, COURTESY PERKINS EASTMAN

Impact of Aging Toolbox:

two-bedroom options. Interior halls,
The building's lower level houses
health-related amenity spaces,
dining rooms, and common spaces
including a gym, indoor pool,
in the 104,200-square-foot building
massage rooms, and juice bar
feature crafted filigree paneling and
(shown).
metalwork, open fireplace hearths,
and ornate lighting fixtures. On the
ground level, amenities are oriented
along a boardwalk, including a fitness studio,
swimming pool, arts and crafts room, salon,
barbershop, and juice bar, as well as the
Grand Palace movie theater and Pickwick
Club sports den.
Sustainable design elements are present
throughout the campus and integrated in
ways that complement the overall neighborhood. Light-colored roofing and surface pavement, a green roof on the community building,
new storm water management system, and
water- and energy-efficient appliances are just
some of the measures in place.
Additionally, during construction several
common and exceptional large trees native
to the region were preserved on the property,
qualifying the community to meet the Seattle
Green Factor, a score-based code requirement focused on increasing the amount
and improving the quality of landscaping
in new developments. The community is
also four-star rated for multifamily residential new construction set by Built Green, an
environmentally focused, nonprofit building
program of the Master Builders Association of
Washington's King and Snohomish counties.-Leslie Moldow and Matthew Becker,
Perkins Eastman

To view additional photos, visit
EFAmagazine.com/aegis-living.

The Center for Health Design and J+J Flooring partnered to develop
a web-based resource focused on senior living facilities and aging in
place, with the goal of connecting the built environment with better
health outcomes and a reduced cost of care. Through December,
several portions of the toolbox are free, including:
* An Issue Brief and Executive Summary-Titled "Universal Design: Designing for Human Needs," this outline covers the current
state of aging and associated health outcomes, the alignment
between universal design and sustainable design strategies,
and universal design models that enable flexible and adaptable
spaces to support the needs of seniors.
* Universal Design Strategies Considerations Checklist-This
tool covers three sectors of the built environment: residential
(home and community), healthcare, and workplace. It identifies features to incorporate into these spaces and the universal
implications. For example, design features that require minimal
physical effort or support resident choice and decision-making
can result in better support for a person's changing needs and
for a greater variety of residents.
* Design Strategies For Aging-This section covers how to
address basic physiological and safety needs as well as higherlevel human needs, such as inviting residents to bring in pets;
providing comfortable spaces for visitors/family and social
activities; and incorporating intuitive controls to adjust temperature, lighting, noise, air flow, and other comfort factors.
Additional elements, including webinars, expert interviews, project case studies, and blogs, will be added to the toolbox throughout the year. For more information, visit healthdesign.org.

Aging In Place Guide For Building Owners:
As part of New York City's Age-Friendly NYC initiative, the city's
Department for the Aging worked with the American Institute of Architects New York Design for Aging Committee to develop a guide
for building owners to create senior-friendly properties. Released
in July 2016, Aging In Place Guide For Building Owners: Recommended Age-Friendly Residential Building Upgrades addresses exterior and interior spaces, with recommended upgrades outlined for
each. While the guide was written for New York property owners,
the ideas are applicable to all senior living spaces, covering everything from sidewalks and main entrances to kitchen and bathroom
design. For example, door size is one area that's often overlooked
in senior living communities, says Caryn Resnick, deputy commissioner of external affairs for the NYC Department for Aging. "They
can be heavy to move for arthritis sufferers ... The guide recommends that the force required to open a door should be 5 pounds
or less." For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/aging.
Winter 2017 * EFAmagazine.com

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http://www.healthdesign.org http://www.EFAmagazine.com/aegis-living http://www.nyc.gov/aging http://www.EFAmagazine.com
Environments for Aging - Winter 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Environments for Aging - Winter 2017
