Design guidelines for Queensland residential aged care

Design Guidelines for Queensland Residential Aged Care / Less Able Facilities

( In relationship to Interiors Design only. Condensed from PDF Design Guidelines for Queensland Residential Aged Care Facilities )

prepared by Mel Fee

M J FEE 15 March 2014

SUBJECT TITLE VDIS10005 Interiors for the Less Able

COURSE TITLEMSF50213 Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration


AS we age we often require more care to manage our health and daily lives. Moving

into some form of residential aged care may be a decision we make for ourselves or one we have to make for aged parents

or a close friend.

Designing for Aged Care is even more important and will become greater as

generation x, baby boomers and 60’s hippies move into middle and old age.

Welcome to all our futures!


General Aged Care Interior Building Requirements

• Future Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) will be designed as

domestic in scale and nature as possible


Statement

• Surroundings will be familiar, safe and non-threatening.

• Residents will retain contact with their local community and will be able to exercise choice

over their day-to-day lives without compromising their sense of security.


All RACFs are required to enable an elderly person to age in a single residential

environment with care levels ranging from low to high requirements.


RACFs are designed to support a range of conditions, including specialised care for:

Dementia-related illnesses

Psychiatric disorders of old age

High dependency care for the frail aged.


• Reduce demand on non-renewable energy resources.

• Buildings should be designed, constructed,

equipped and managed to optimise energy savings.

WHEN DESIGNING PLAN TO:


• Site, orientate, and utilise buildings to optimise environmental advantages.

• Building services shall be routed in easily accessible locations to allow for future modifications.

The Interior Design of Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs)

• Aesthetic themes should appeal to a wide range of residents.

• Incorporate the need of special groups such as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from non-English speaking backgrounds.

• Visitors need to be able to sense that they are welcomed into a ‘home’ rather than an

institution.


• Ensure a spatial hierarchy is established to clearly define public and private spaces


Design Cues

Vary spatial design and finishes to emphasise transition points.

Introduce cues to differentiate between entrances and corridors.

Cues include different building forms and spatial design, finishes, colour, decoration,

furnishings and artwork, which can stimulate sight, touch, smell and hearing.

• Community spaces and function rooms should encourage community interaction.

• Low maintenance materials should be used to keep maintenance costs to a minimum and to maintain a good quality appearance for long periods of time.

• Utilise materials of residential character.

• Uneven surfaces must be avoided.

• Transition between different use spaces should be emphasised by design features, eg. colour, finish, decorative trims, ceiling height, furnishings, etc.

• Internal partitions should be non-structural and constructed out of lightweight materials for easy future removal.

All resident bedrooms, dining rooms, andlounge/sitting rooms should have views to the

outside.

Common areas should have direct or easy access to outdoor spaces.

Minimise horizontal glazing bars and otherobstructions to outside views from seated and

lying positions.


• Avoid bold patterns and abrupt changes in floor colours which could be perceived by residents as steps or ‘holes’ in the floor (especially in dementia care areas).

• Where possible ensure that all persons have reasonable views of ‘on-coming-traffic’, particularly through viewing panels in doors.


• Provide barriers to restrict access to staff-only areas.

• Discourage residents from using ‘unsafe’ doors by painting them the same as the adjoining walls.

LIGHTING OF AREAS

Lighting of areas

• Where possible locate windows so as to provide multiple sources of light.

• Ensure that all areas receive the levels of lighting appropriate to their use.

• Allow users to manipulate lighting to suit task.

• Provide subtle variation in lighting to emphasise the importance of spaces.

Lighting of areas

• Use light fittings of domestic appearance and domestic quality of soft light in resident-use areas.

• Avoid harsh commercial lighting solutions in resident use areas.

• Allow resident control of personal area lighting which can be easily operated by resident with poor manual dexterity.


Lighting of areas (general)Bedside Lighting:

Provide dimmable bedside lighting in addition to normal room lighting.

Locate switch to allow ease of operation by the frail elderly resident.

The bedside lighting should also be two-way switched from the room

entrance.

Night Lighting:

Provide reduced level night lighting to all corridors and exit

passageways . Suitably space night lights to evenly illuminate each

area including ramps and stair treads.

External Lighting:

Provide well lit pathways from entrances and exits to the public

thoroughfare.

Take into account the need to deter intruder.


Lighting of areas (general)

Emergency Lighting:

Provide emergency lighting in all critical use areas

Lighting Controls:

Provided a separate manual ON switch to override any automatic

lighting controls.

Mixed power and lighting circuits are not permitted

POWER OUTLETS

•Provide an adequate number of outlets for all anticipated uses.

•Provide a separate outlet for every appliance in use at any one time.

•Provide separate surge protected circuits for computers

•Provide green power outlet faceplates for computers, engraved with the words “computer only”.

•Suitably identify every power outlet with circuit numbers.

Integrate fittings and conceal where appropriate tomaintain the “residential” atmosphere.

The common cabling infrastructure can be used for

the following services:

• Telephone

• Computer (Data)

• Facsimile

• Staff Call Systems

• Intercom

• Paging

• Security

• MATV - Video/Radio distribution

• Telemedicine Videoconferencing

TELECOMMUNICATIONS


DESIGN CUES

• Vary floor coverings with texture and colour to define change in a rooms usage

• Floor level should not vary in any height as this becomes a tripping hazard.

MAIN AREAS

• Reduce noise generated by trolleys

• Reduce noise generated by the preparation, serving and eating of meals.

• Use carpet or acoustically absorbent vinyl finishes on corridor and common area floors.

• Utilise low-maintenance absorptive surfaces, eg. acoustic ceilings in areas where acoustic absorption of flooring and furnishings is inadequate.

• Select ceiling, wall, partition and door types to minimise the transfer of noise between rooms.

• Seating fabrics should have some form of water repellence, Fabrics for aged care refer Warwick Fabrics

• Ensure that fabrics and finishes comply with fire safety requirements.

BEDROOMS & ENSUITE

BEDROOMS• Maximise opportunities for residents to

personalise their private spaces.

• Bedrooms should include facilities for display of personal pictures, photographs, ornaments, etc.

• Allow for some personalisation / naming of doorways to bedrooms.


• Provide user-friendly window operating mechanisms.

• Provide insect screens across all window and door openings.

• Fit suitable security screens to window and door openings through which intruders could enter or distressed residents exit.

Furniture, Furnishings and Fittings

• Each room will need a comfortable chair or recliner for the patient . Sufficient chairs for visitor seating need to be included (or available) in the bedroom.

• A bedside cabinet, preferably with a lockable drawer is required.

• • The wardrobe should be 1200 mm minimum in length. It will ideally have hanging and drawer space. Adequate shelving, storage or display space is necessary for flowers and personal possessions.

• A suitably designed bench space can allow for a small fridge (if appropriate), wheelchair storage, linen storage and bedside walking frames.

• Nurse Call Buttons should be adjacent to the bed. This can be on a cord.

• Picture rails will allow for the hanging of pictures or wall hangings and a pin-board can provide an area for displaying cards or photos.

• Doors may be fitted with internal locking devices that have external release mechanisms.

• The recommended ceiling height is 2700 mm.

• Furnishings should be of a commercial quality with impervious inner lining and removable washable covers.


Finishes

• Floors – carpet (preferred) or domestic like matt finish vinyl over an impervious sealed floor.

• Walls – washable paint and wall protection for bed heads must be incorporated.

• Ceiling – painted.

• Joinery – paint, melamine, laminate or sealed natural wood.


Typical Bedroom Floor Pans

FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP

• Direct access is essential to an ensuite.

ENSUITE

• The ensuite will comprise a toilet, shower, hand basin and storage cupboard.

• Creation of a domestic environment is encouraged.

• the ease of cleaning and long term maintenance of the room should still be considered.

• Grab rails should be robust and maintenance free

• The hand basin must be designed to enable usage by residents in wheelchairs or using walking frames. The height of the basin needs to allow for a person sitting down.

• A mirror should be installed over the hand basin and possibly to the side of hand basin at a lower level for people in wheelchairs or sitting down.

SHOWER

• Installation of shower facilities with grab-rails and an adjustable and detachable shower hose.

• The ensuite should be designed in accordance with the guidelines set out in the:

Australian Standards – Designs for Access and Mobility


• There should be sufficient room for two to three persons to manoeuvre in and allow space for shower chairs, over toilet seats, lifting devices, shower trolleys or other appropriate items.

• A nightlight should be located over the toilet.


• There should be waterproof nurse call buttons adjacent to both the toilet pan and the shower.

Hot Water

• All hot water must be supplied via a thermostatic mixing valve or similar approved temperature control device.


THE END


Education

Design guidelines for Queensland residential aged care