Senior Living Design Calls for Extra Care: Meet Senior Living Expert and Project Designer, Sarah Langille
After spending five years working in skilled nursing and acute care as a Professional Registered Nurse, Sarah returned to school to obtain a Master of Architecture degree with a focus on Inclusive Design. Sarah’s passion for person-centered care environments has enhanced her ability to design healthcare projects that foster inclusivity, wellness, and social participation. We sat down with Sarah to discuss how her previous experience in healthcare inspires her work as an Architectural Project Designer.
What inspired you to follow a career path involving senior living?
I believe the closeness I had with my grandparents was fundamental to my decision to pursue a career in nursing. As my grandparents aged, I did my best to return the care that they gave me when I was young. My grandmother began to develop dementia as she grew older. For any family, dementia can be hard to process. In some ways, I was lucky to have a background in nursing. I knew not to take the forgetfulness personally because I knew that dementia is a disease and not a choice. I did my best to enjoy time with her day by day. She was still Grandma, even in her forgetfulness. Sometimes it’s a tough choice on how to respond to difficult and emotional situations.
Your path to becoming a Project Designer was unique. Can you tell us about your prior work experience and what you learned?
My first job out of nursing school was at a local county nursing home. It was the kind of place where elders found themselves when they came from limited means. It was institutional with long corridors and a low nurse-to-patient ratio. The elevators opened on each floor into lobbies that led to corridors on either side, holding up to 14 rooms and one nurse station each. The rooms contained two beds with curtains between to give the residents some privacy. A dining room was situated next to the elevators with large viewing windows that looked out over rows of cafeteria-style tables where the residents would sit to eat their meals. The institutional surroundings meant the feeling of “home” was lacking.
My second nursing position was in a facility that was less than five years old at the time. Comparatively, this nursing home, with large single-resident rooms, was more spacious and had a more peaceful atmosphere. There was a large, canopied entry with a foyer that held a reception desk, a table with a decorative centerpiece for each season, and ample soft seating. Attention to detail was a priority; the addition of standard residential crown molding enhanced the space. The lobby opened to a corridor leading to a large sitting room and a fenced-in garden. Half-height columns were added to either side of the entrance to emphasize its appearance.
Both facilities shaped my understanding of the care necessary when designing senior living facilities. For example, the appropriate sizing of mechanical systems is important in elder care, as not only are 100-year events becoming more frequent, but failures of systems could also lead to metabolic issues for the residents. As we age, our bodies are less able to regulate temperature, so heating and cooling failures can cause major health problems in elders. Another lesson was the effect that long corridors can have when it comes to a resident’s understanding of space. Long corridors can create confusion for residents with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The design of an environment directly impacts how much a space feels like home to them.
How do you apply what you learned during your time as a nurse to your designs?
In my philosophy for the design of elder care spaces, elders deserve to live in an environment that feels like home with dignity and respect. Spaces should be flexible to provide spontaneous opportunities for hobbies, exploration, and personal growth. An elder gives up a lot of autonomy when they move into a senior living environment. Spaces should be designed to foster autonomy and ownership by allowing residents to bring and arrange their own personal items, knickknacks, and furniture. When possible, corridors should be replaced with cozy spaces that foster social participation and allow for intergenerational congregation and activity. It’s important to create areas that foster a resident’s sense of self and spirituality, including places for reflection and direct access to outdoor spaces and nature. The design process should holistically consider all aspects of mind, body, and spirit.
What trends are you seeing in the senior living market?
Senior living environments have been seeing positive changes in recent years. There has been more emphasis and importance on creating senior living environments that visually and culturally reflect the feeling of home. Homelike environments are gradually replacing outdated institutional facilities. Elder care philosophies, like The Eden Alternative, and the Green House Model, are creating cultures where the care meets each elder at their individual ability level. One example of these philosophies is to not exclude residents from purposeful household activities but encourage their participation at their level. While many of us would likely celebrate not needing to do dishes and laundry, it’s important to have the choice, and for many elders, these daily tasks were a big part of their lives and routines.
Another trend gaining momentum in senior living is the inclusion of multigenerational programming. In the ethos of senior care philosophies, it is becoming generally accepted that seniors should not live in separate, secluded environments but instead live in environments of inclusiveness. This includes providing environments that foster spontaneous and programmed social interaction. Many senior living environments are building cafes, shops, doctor’s offices, children’s daycares, parks with playgrounds, dog parks, and community centers as open assets for the wider community. These types of interventions lessen the culture of seniors as “the other” and foster inclusivity and understanding.
The senior living market is continually evolving to meet the needs of elders. In November 2024, LaBella’s Senior Living team will be attending the 2024 Center for Innovation conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Hosted by The Green House Project and Pioneer Network, this year’s conference theme is “Grow Bolder” and will focus on topics such as the cultural transformation of traditional eldercare communities; workforce recruitment, retention, and development; diversity, equity, and inclusion for all; using technology to enhance, not replace, person-directed care; and innovative new care models. Check back after the conference for a recap of emerging and continuing trends in elder care.
