Remodelling Elderly Care Homes: Prioritising Resident Autonomy and Lifestyle Choice

It often happens that simple, unnoticeable changes have a significant impact. When it comes to running an elderly care facility, the work can be challenging if empathy, a genuine willingness to care for the elderly, is missing. And this leads to an understanding of how the residents envision the facility should look. Would you choose a monotonous routine for the rest of your life - or the freedom to live on your own terms? The answer is obvious - we all know it. The Green House Project in the USA has opened a new dimension for elder care facilities. In their care facility, old people can live on their own terms. Imagine designing a care home where elderly people live together, but no one follows a strict routine. They sleep when they want, they eat at times they prefer, and they go for a walk when it suits them. The staff are adequately trained, the rooms are designed to make them feel more at home rather than in a care facility, and meals are cooked to delight their taste buds.

Building Design that Feels Like Home

The place you live and its environment have a tremendous impact on your mood. Living in a care facility with medical tubes at your bedside and medicines on the table are not the most cheerful sights. So, the facility needs to be designed with cabinets to conceal the medical equipment until it is necessary for use. A single house should have at least 10 bedrooms for the elderly residents and a common living room for all of them to come together and spend time in each other’s company. The Green House Project also arranges beds for the family members of the residents, allowing them to stay overnight with their loved ones at the facility. Moreover, there might be a shared kitchen, but it does not have to be used for cooking the same old boring stew. Fresh vegetables and other foods of the resident’s choice can be cooked. Even residents might take part in the cooking. So, the floor must be non-slippery, and it would be even better if all the edges of the furniture and tables were rubber-cushioned. A proper caring environment that feels like living at home.

Resident Autonomy Over Rules

The Green House Project began with the conviction that everyone has the right to age with dignity and grace. The final days or years of the elderly residents should be full of life forces. Now, if you are to build a care facility inspired by their approach, it must go beyond the architectural design. Resident autonomy is reflected in the manner in which residents are cared for. Some might have chronic health issues and some might be accustomed to a certain lifestyle that they don’t want to change. The management should acknowledge the diverse needs of the residents and make arrangements to empower them to take control of their lives. The staff, too, should be trained to prioritise the residents' choices.

Trained Care Person

Architectural design, care facilities, and autonomy of residents - all can be implemented when you have capable staff on the ground. Medical care staff are skilled at maintaining the health of residents. But what about taking care of their mental health? That’s why you need trained staff on the ground who know how to take care of the residents’ mental health. They should be able to understand each resident and value their personal choices. If a patient wants to have a midnight snack, they may do so with the doctor’s permission. If someone feels like skipping lunch and eating later, he should have that freedom. However, the staff should also have the patience to convince the residents that some things are not permissible, such as drinking. Care providers with empathy and patience are crucial in keeping the facility functional.

A New Dimension for Elderly Care

The Green House Project represents a transformative shift towards an innovative elderly care facility. Our society is at a point where the number of people over 60 years of age will reach two billion by 2050. If your care facility could provide a homely environment to the residents, other family members of the residents would find you reliable. You have to remember that people now want the old members of the house to get the best facilities in their old days. Remodelling your care facility in light of the Green House Project’s approach will help you open a new dimension in elderly care facilities in the UK.

Wrapping Up

Running an elderly care facility is not a big deal if you are really passionate about resident care. If you have an existing care facility in the UK, you can redesign it to prioritise patient autonomy. Or you can construct a new house with new rooms, including a kitchen with safety features that promote the autonomy of elderly residents. Build a care home that changes the perception of care homes for UK citizens.