posted on 2006-06-23, 15:20authored byChris Parker, Sarah Barnes, Kevin McKee, Kevin MorganKevin Morgan, Judith Torrington, Peter Tregenza
Older people living in residential and nursing care homes spend a large proportion
of their time within the boundaries of the home, and may depend on the
environment to compensate for their physical or cognitive frailties. Regulations
and guidelines on the design of care buildings have accumulated over time with
little knowledge of their impact on the quality of life of building users. The Design
in Caring Environments Study (DICE ) collected cross-sectional data on building design
and quality of life in 38 care homes in and near Sheffield, Yorkshire. Quality
of life was assessed using methods which included all residents regardless of
their frailty, and staff morale was also assessed. The physical environment was
measured on 11 user-related domains using a new tool, the Sheffield Care Environment
Assessment Matrix (SCEAM). Significant positive associations were found
between several aspects of the built environment and the residents’ quality of life.
There was evidence that a focus on safety and health requirements could be
creating risk-averse environments which act against quality of life, particularly for
the least frail residents. Staff morale was associated with attributes of a noninstitutional
environment for residents rather than with the facilities provided for
the staff. The new tool for assessing building design has potential applications in
further research and for care providers.
History
School
Social Sciences
Department
Communication, Media, Social and Policy Studies
Pages
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Citation
PARKER, C. ... et al, 2004. Quality of life and building design in residential and nursing homes for older people. Ageing & Society, 24, pp. 941–962.