After having served the senior community of Durham, North Carolina for more than 60 years, Croasdaile Village sought to revitalize 160,000 square feet of senior living space with expanded areas for assisted living and memory support. Following on its mission of providing residents a lifestyle of wellness and enrichment, the goal for memory care was to offer a nurturing environment that would help maintain residents’ dignity amidst declining cognitive functions.
The project was phased over six years and included the construction of four new two-story villa/hybrid independent living homes with six apartments per building, a new wellness center, a new physical and occupational therapy center, renovated aquatic center and several new dining venues.
Equal Access Spaces Provide Comfortable Settings
To effectively improve the assisted living portion of Croasdaile’s healthcare offerings, the new two-story assisted living building was constructed immediately adjacent the existing space. Using a household model design and specifying larger apartment units, the community was able to provide a more effective continuum of care for residents of all care levels.
Connecting both the assisted living spaces and memory care is the main corridor. A collection of storefronts and porches, the transitory space invokes the feeling of walking through a town. This main street area was designed to be used by residents of both assisted living and memory support and includes a bistro, salon, activity room, library, movie theater and medical exam suite.
At the bistro, residents can read, chat, enjoy coffee and meals or watch TV. A variety of seating provides residents and guests with options for dining. Design also provides a strong connection to nature with several large windows providing daylight and views to the outdoors.
The library provides a quiet retreat in an intimate space centered around a fireplace. The soft neutral color palette is soothing and relaxing, while upholstered furniture provides cozy places to curl up with a good book or meet a few friends.
Residential Touches Support Memory and Safety
Designed to feel like a home kitchen, the dining area is in the center of the memory care household. This space is the meeting place and allows for the flexibility to dine, celebrate, and interact. The kitchen counter items help residents understand function and purpose of the room and allows for independent interaction with the environment.
The memory support activity room is adjacent to the dining room. Here, the chosen accessories support activities in the space and reminiscence. The jukebox at the center of the room provides music therapy and a sense of nostalgia. Around the corner, there are several shelves holding rummage baskets filled with sensory engaging items, as well as items from the residents’ era such as stamp collections and wooden toys.
An enclosed courtyard provides long-term easier access to dining/living and activity areas. In the interim, it allows residents to seamlessly move into their new and improved accommodations.
Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister site Environments for Aging.
