New standards for electrical systems: Are you in compliance?
By
Michael Chotiner
Sep 30, 2015
There’s been a fundamental shift in the building codes that apply to healthcare facilities, published this year by the National Fire Protection Association.
Paint colors for long-term care settings
By
Michael Chotiner
Aug 17, 2015
Among the theories treated in the paper is the widely held belief that elderly people tend to prefer blue to other colors, but at least one of the more recent studies noted a shift in preference to green.
New IP video surveillance systems offer flexibility
By
Michael Chotiner
Jul 15, 2015
Video surveillance has long been a key component of security systems in long-term care facilities. Typically, security cameras are placed in:
The evolution of country kitchens in senior housing
By
Michael Chotiner
Jun 12, 2015
The American Institute of Architects’ Design has refined the household model of long-term care facilities to a more home-like setting.
Designing functional outdoor living spaces
By
Michael Chotiner
Apr 15, 2015
Professionals who plan and manage senior housing and care facilities know that stimulating, comfortable and safe outdoor living spaces are an important component of design that fosters a higher quality...
What’s the healthiest faucet for hand washing?
By
Michael Chotiner
Jan 14, 2015
Since “touchless” faucets became widely available in the late 1980s, they were believed to be an effective tool for combating the spread of infections. But a 2011 study published by Johns Hopkins...
Addressing the problem of nighttime falls
By
Michael Chotiner
Dec 29, 2014
Most falls occur when residents are in their own rooms unattended, performing tasks such as getting in and out of bed.
Night lighting for elders
By
Michael Chotiner
Nov 24, 2014
Many older people have trouble falling asleep and/or getting back to sleep at night, especially when stimulated by bright lights that they turn on in order to navigate to the bathroom or that attendants...
Lightbulbs as therapeutic tools
By
Michael Chotiner
Oct 08, 2014
Whether you’re 25 or 75, you may have experienced the effects of aging on your eyesight — and it tends to get worse as the years go by. Typical age-related eye pathologies — including...
Making home and AL facilities safe
By
Michael Chotiner
Sep 02, 2014
Over the years, my siblings and I place gripper mats, cleared away clutter and installed shower seats in my mother’s bathtub in order to keep her safe.