Simple Upgrades Are Big Improvements In Senior Living Communities

Every five to seven years a senior living community, like an assisted living or a personal care home, undergoes extensive interior renovations. Improvements in caring for residents as well as changes in style drive these renovations. Market and demand also dictate interior transformations as the newer looking senior communities have greater appeal and tend to remain full. Despite the frequent upgrades, Les McCoy of DesignPoint says that renovations do not have to be large scale or expensive to have an impact. DesignPoint is a full-service interior design company that works with clients in health care and senior living across the United States.

One particular DesignPoint client proves that small changes can have a big impact. Woodland Terrace at the Oaks is a senior living community in Allentown. Nestled between a medical office complex and a 629-acre park, the personal care community opened in the mid 1990’s and is licensed for 110 residents. Since then, the community’s ownership has changed several times and so has its décor. Most recently in 2015, Good Neighbor Care (GNC), the current owner of Woodland Terrace, decided to make some interior updates to refresh the community.

“The Woodland Terrace project was a straightforward project for us. It included an upgrade and refresh of the interiors,” recalls DesignPoint President Les McCoy. “Many of the improvements put the community back on the leading edge of senior living design, which is very dynamic.”

The goal of the renovation was to have as little interruption in resident life as possible and create a more, home-like feel. It was to also create a more functional work environment for staff while feeling less institutional. The challenge of understanding the delivery of care while improving the ambiance of the community was why DesignPoint’s expertise was sought. “The nurses’ med carts and the aide’s supply carts had been floating around the halls of the senior living building. This interrupted foot traffic, caused confusion among staff, and was not aesthetically pleasing. DesignPoint identified convenient locations to place the med carts and hide them into the décor. They also made recommendations to conceal the work areas of the facility that residents did not need to see.

Additionally, DesignPoint made material and color selections for new flooring of the hallways and common areas. New lighting was also installed in common areas to accentuate and illuminate specific areas.

DesignPoint recommended light construction to reconfigure and enlarge several sitting areas by eliminating unused office space and an unnecessary laundry room. This included eliminating, extending or creating walls. Woodland Terrace’s nurse’s station also received a make-over designed around work flow efficiencies and greater functionality. A by-product of these changes also increased the size and usability of the dining room.

“With the replacement of new flooring, lighting and the small modifications to key spaces, it feels like a new senior living community,” says McCoy.

DesignPoint is located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and works extensively on both regional and national levels. DesignPoint, Inc. is a full service interior design & purchasing Firm with a focus on corporate, hospitality, senior living, medical offices and high-end residential interiors. When considering new interior construction or renovations, DesignPoint will provide complete interior architectural space planning, construction documents, and furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) procurement services to make it a successful project. DesignPoint is located at 54 S. Commerce Way, Suite 110, Bethlehem, PA 18017, 610-807-9670 or online at info@designpoint-interiors.com.