Empathetic Senior Living Environments: Lessons Learned at CFI 2024

In November 2024, members of LaBella’s Senior Living and Healthcare Studios traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the annual Centers for Innovation Conference, hosted by The Green House Project and Pioneer Network. The conference theme this year was “Grow Bolder” and focused on topics such as cultural transformation, workforce recruitment, diversity and inclusion, artificial intelligence (AI), and innovative care models.

With technologies becoming a pervasive part of our world, emphasis has been placed on designing spaces that nurture human connection and create empathy. The session topics highlighted below, including Dare to Cross the Street and Use Empathy, Harnessing the Wisdom of Age: A Path to Person-Centered Elder Care, and What the Tech is Going On,” shed light on the growing need to thoughtfully consider the design and use of new technologies in the senior living environment.

Empathy-Rich Environments

Dare to Cross the Street and Use Empathy with Vicki de Klerk-Rubin from the Validation Training Institute spotlighted the importance of human connection with elders living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia through hands-on, role-play scenarios. Done in pairs, these scenarios demonstrated the need for understanding when approaching and interacting with elders.

One exercise involved talking to another person while slowly moving closer until it felt like a comfortable distance. This activity illustrated the fine line between a comfortable distance, being too far, and being too close—where the extremes could either convey disinterest in the conversation (too far) or create discomfort in the interaction (too close).

Another exercise focused on visually analyzing the faces of individuals expressing different emotions. Participants learned that features such as furrowed eyebrows, the curl of the mouth, the position of the chin, and the pose of the shoulders can all influence how emotions are perceived. Participants were then asked to mimic the expressions shown in the images as an exercise in emotive mirroring. By mirroring an elder’s emotions, caretakers can meet them where they are emotionally, fostering better connections with them.

Traditional skilled and assisted living environments have often struggled to provide private spaces for residents and caregivers to engage in empathetic interactions. These environments typically prioritize undisrupted views for staff, making them feel more like nursing units than home-like settings. Spaces that are carved out, yet not completely obstructed, can offer residents areas for respite and reflection while minimizing environmental disruptions and encouraging empathetic interactions with caretakers that build trust. These spaces can be created through thoughtful furniture layouts, decorative plants, or intentional design elements like private nooks, window seats, and dens.

Community-Centric Environments

Harnessing the Wisdom of Age: A Path to Person-Centered Elder Care with Emi Kiyota from the Global Brain Health Institute and Ibasho delved into the concept of organic and sustainable communities. According to Kiyota, the key elements of such communities include accepting change and imperfections, unlocking purpose, fostering interdependence, and creating engagement.

Kiyota’s life work focuses on empowering elders through design by connecting them to their communities. In this approach, community designs start with a central hub—typically a community center—where people of all ages can engage in social activities. The flexible nature of the community center ensures it becomes a staple environment for everyone in the community.

Understanding the user’s point of view is essential to the success of Kiyota’s projects. Her team spends time interviewing not only elders but also the broader community to assess their needs. Kiyota’s designs empower elders by recognizing that they are valuable assets who can contribute to their communities rather than just recipients of care.

Much like a community center in larger senior living communities, kitchens play a central role in small-house senior living models. Serving as the heart of the home, the kitchen is where residents congregate to cook, share meals, and socialize. In small-house models like the Green House model, the central hub is the gathering space from which all other rooms branch off. The branches of the home become more private as they extend outward, allowing for many levels of socialization and solitude. The home’s design should support ongoing activities while also providing spaces where residents can enjoy privacy when needed.

Technology-Rich Environments

What the Tech is Going On with Joe Velderman, Vipan Nikore, Mohammad Ghassemi, and Jeff McSpadden explored the “what ifs” regarding the use of AI in the care environment. For many, the idea of using AI in senior care can be somewhat frightening, fostering fears of the unknown and anxiety about the future. A primary concern discussed was the potential replacement of human interaction with elders receiving care. However, AI, like many other technologies, could be used to reduce repetitive tasks, freeing up caregivers to spend more time interacting with elders. For example, care plans could be created by an AI assistant and then edited by a caretaker, lightening their workload while still allowing for input and adjustments from residents, caretakers, or family members. As a result, the role of the caretaker is evolving with the integration of new technologies.

Creating Empathetic Living Environments

So, what is needed when designing spaces to create an empathetic living environment? The short answer is adaptability. Environments that can change and adapt to the needs of elders are paramount. As many know, senior living needs can change day by day, and the home environment should be flexible enough to accommodate an elder’s evolving physiological, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

For example, floor lighting can be installed to assist an individual getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom while other lights can adjust throughout the day to help residents maintain a regular sleep schedule. Bedrooms can be designed to look and feel like home while also incorporating ceiling lifts for days when extra assistance is needed. Flooring can offer a homey aesthetic while including an underlayment that reduces the level of injury in the event of a fall. Open floor plans with thoughtfully designed private spaces can allow caregivers to engage with residents while still offering privacy when desired. Finally, outdoor spaces and gardens that provide access to nature and moments of self-reflection can contribute to overall wellness.

By embracing adaptability and empathy in design, we can create environments that not only meet the physical needs of seniors but also enrich their emotional and social well-being, empowering them to live with dignity and purpose.