Parker, C., Barnes, S., McKee, K. et al. (3 more authors) (2004) Quality of life and building design in residential and nursing homes for older people. Ageing and Society, 24 (6). pp. 941-962. ISSN 0144-686X
Abstract
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 non-institutional 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.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2004 Cambridge University Press. Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | quality of life, environment, building design, care home |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > The Medical School (Sheffield) > Clinical Sciences Division North (Sheffield) > Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing The University of Sheffield > University of Sheffield Research Centres and Institutes > Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > School of Architecture (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Repository Assistant |
Date Deposited: | 24 Aug 2006 |
Last Modified: | 04 Jun 2014 08:21 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X04002387 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Cambridge University Press |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1017/S0144686X04002387 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:1513 |