About a decade ago, when the first baby boomers were entering their sixties, demographers and economists became concerned about the shifts in human population. They began to warn us that there would be a considerable number of people retiring in the coming decade and these aging boomers would be a profound and disruptive force in several areas.
One in five Americans is projected to be 65 and over by 2030. There is a strong indication that in less than ten years, the number of Americans age 65+ will nearly be double that of today.
What Does The Aging Population Mean for Healthcare Design?
With the senior population increasing, designers and architects need to examine various adaptable living solutions to support the health and well-being of such a large segment. There is a great opportunity and need for commercial interior designers to offer solutions that will improve the quality of life for seniors and meet their requirements.
Adaptive Living Taskforce and Committee on Adaptive Living
In August 2020, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) established the Adaptive Living Task Force (ALTF) to study the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on the design of commercial and home environments. In 2022, ASID nominated design professionals from across North America to its primary Committee on Adaptive Living in support of this work. The initial objective of this committee was to rethink the design of commercial living environments. The committee also explores courses of action that promote adaptive design solutions, identify best practices, and consider future innovations.
One in five Americans is projected to be 65 and over by 2030. There is a strong indication that in less than ten years, the number of Americans age 65+ will nearly be double that of today.
The Challenges Senior Living Environment Designers Face
The committee noted that the pandemic exposed weaknesses and flaws in the design of typical senior living environments, such as senior independent living and assisted living communities. Significant areas of concern are design issues that can increase the risk of illness spreading and social isolation.
How Can Designers Make Improvements To Combat These Design Weaknesses?
For wellness integration, some ideas the committee recommends are:
- Access to outdoor spaces to connect residents with their surroundings for physical contact with nature.
- Provide biophilic design elements in resident homes and common areas for a visual connection with nature.
- Integrate easy access to the outdoors —blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.
- Café space that offers outdoor as well as indoor seating creates options for residents and guests to gather, eat, and connect.
How Can Crossville Support Designers in Addressing Design Challenges for Senior Living Environments?
Designing for Health and Wellness with Crossville Tile for Surfaces in Every Space
We tout porcelain and ceramic tile’s health and wellness benefits often and for good reasons. It is one of the healthiest (if not the healthiest) floor and wall surfaces on the market. Ceramic and porcelain tile is easier to clean than other materials; it’s impermeable (making it inhospitable to the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria), sanitary when cleaned with a mild bleach and water solution, and has zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds), thus contributing to good air quality. Those qualities alone make ceramic and porcelain tile a logical choice for wall and floor surfacing when deterring the spread of infection is a priority.
Crossville’s high-performing, low-maintenance porcelain tiles suit every space in a commercial multifamily environment. They are durable and cost-effective choices for common areas, including outdoor applications. Our safe and sanitary tiles are an excellent choice for resident kitchens and bathroom floors, shower walls, entryways, hallways, and more, with some collections offering enhanced traction where needed.
Outdoor Spaces Are No Longer Amenities in Senior Living Environments
Now that outdoor spaces have become increasingly important features for senior living communities and integrated facilities (facilities that offer different levels of senior living such as independent living, assisted living, extended care, and memory care communities) and are no longer just an amenity, surfacing suitable for the outdoors is playing a more significant role in multifamily senior living environments.
Outdoor surfacing must be highly durable to withstand the elements; it must be slip-retardant and safe to walk on wet or dry, and it must be aesthetically pleasing. Crossville porcelain tile is engineered to hit all those marks and then some. While many Crossville tile collections are suitable for outdoor use in many environments, the exterior paver options in several tile collections are durable enough to withstand the elements and deliver the performance needed where enhanced traction is desired. Because our exterior tiles have matching interior options, designers can seamlessly integrate the designs to blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.
Portugal exterior finish porcelain tile
Rural Retreat™ wood-look porcelain exterior tiles
Slip-Retardant Flooring in Interiors
While enhanced traction in outdoor flooring is obviously paramount, interiors are really no different, especially in areas that can get wet and are prone to spills, such as kitchens and baths. Between 30-50% of falls in the 65 + population are caused by environmental obstacles, such as poor lighting, slippery floors, and uneven surfaces. There are many reasons seniors are at higher risk for falling: declining vision, mobility issues, medication, and dementia-related disorders are just a few.
When it comes to flooring, traction is one of the most important safety and design considerations when specifying flooring in senior living environments. All Crossville floor tiles are considered safe in many applications, but senior living environments differ from traditional multifamily settings. For this at-risk population, our exterior finish tiles provide additional traction in interior areas where extra grip would be beneficial.
Owen Stone exterior finish tiles add extra grip in interiors.
How Can Crossville Support Designing Senior Living Communities for the Future
As the senior population continues to grow, architects and designers can create living environments that support safety, wellness, independence, and social connection. From welcoming common areas to accessible outdoor spaces, thoughtful material selections play an important role in improving residents’ quality of life. Crossville’s versatile porcelain tile collections offer the durability, easy maintenance, and design flexibility needed to help create attractive, functional senior living communities that meet residents’ changing needs.
Great Designs Start With A Sample
You can quickly and easily order a sample of any Crossville tile through Crossville’s Sample Express. To quickly order free tile samples, just set up an account here to get started. Once you have an account, ordering a tile sample is as simple as clicking a button — and samples are always free.
Other Great Reasons To Set Up An Account
- Order complimentary samples
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