Nursing Home Design - Samaritan Manor, Detroit
Michigan state officials estimate that Detroit lacks more than 1,100 nursing home beds. Responding to that need, Advantage Management Group, which manages long-term care and assisted living facilities throughout Michigan and the United States, has opened the first new skilled nursing facility in the city in more than 20 years.
The 120-bed Samaritan Manor grew out of a $3 million renovation of the fourth floor of Samaritan Center, formerly the Detroit Mercy Hospital complex. Another $4 million was spent on furnishings and operation start-up, according to figures from Southfield, MI-based Advantage Management Group. The main challenge was turning what was previously hospital workspace and patient rooms into a home, according to HKS Inc. interior designer Tracey Treiber. Medical offices and myriad other healthcare services for the surrounding communities occupy the three other floors of the building.
“We took what would be considered a modest budget and used it to break down the institutional feel of the space,” Treiber says.
One of the major renovations was transforming the big nursing station that is the center of activity on a hospital floor into a decentralized model of nursing care. The floor is now divided into four wings or “neighborhoods.” Each wing has a more contemporary and ergonomic workspace for nurses, Treiber notes.
Each of the four neighborhoods – Indian Village, Chandler Park, Paradise Valley and Conant Gardens – is based on a historic district of Detroit. They give the impression that residents are “home,” Administrator Dave Duffy says. The design of the nearly 27,000 square-foot floor facilitates resident-centered care.
“Each neighborhood connects with another at the corners of the square [floor],” explains Duffy. “It is a place for residents to unite, gather and socialize.”
The nurse stations also are featured prominently to encourage staff interaction with residents and residents’ family members, she said. 
Samaritan Manor offers the most private rooms (40) of any long-term care facility in the city limits as well as semi-private resident rooms. Treiber notes that rooms were treated to a fresh coat of paint using accent colors unique to each neighborhood or wing. Soft window treatments and coordinating bedspreads helped to do away with the starkness that was previously prevalent in the space, she says.
The use of real glass and stainless flatware in each neighborhood’s dining room add to the homey atmosphere. Duffy notes that each dining room has a visually appealing serving area and features wheelchair storage to minimize clutter. Food is presented under clear steamer covers to offer residents choices. Meals are served on plates, not trays, to enhance residents’ dignity.
Also, a stone fireplace, game tables and a flat screen television give the home’s lounges a decidedly 21st-century feel, he says.
Because it occupies the fourth and top floor of a renovated hospital building, the architects arranged for a dedicated elevator for Samaritan Manor which does not stop on any of the other floors of Samaritan Center. 
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Lessons learned:
1 – Residents come in all shapes and sizes–make sure furnishings will accommodate the range.
2 – A homey atmosphere is easy to create with accessories such as window treatments and wall hangings.
3 – Fire safety codes require strict adherence. Make sure sprinkler systems are installed properly to minimize move-in delays.