Health, Wellness and Connection Reshape Senior Living Community Designs
Today’s seniors are embracing a lifestyle that’s not just about comfort but also about staying connected, engaged, and living well and vibrantly.
Stylish furniture solutions with the comfort and safety of seniors in mind can play a key role in creating environments that are safe, sustainable,and adaptive to residents’ evolving needs.
That means prioritizing community gathering spaces that inspire social connections, combat social isolation and promote quality of life. Reimagining common areas to not just be “home-like,” but actually feel like home, is vital to the future of Senior Living communities.
Here we highlight 3 future-focused Senior Living design approaches that put your residents, their families and your staff first:
#1. Focus on Health & Wellness
Balancing senior lifestyles and safety can start with creating a clean-living environment that has a direct impact on the members of your Senior Living community’s health. Residents, families and staff want peace of mind knowing that everyone is doing what they can to keep each other safe. Support safety initiatives throughout your building by including furniture in common spaces that is easy-to-clean.
Chairs with removable seat decking, like the Kellex Everhart Lounge Chair, maximize cleanability and support a long lifespan for the furniture. All of our collections come standard with moisture-barrier seat decking, which resists moisture and spills.
Add furniture selections to your common spaces that are made with easy-to-clean materials like vinyl, crypton fabrics and hard surface arms. We partner with fabric manufacturers that keep the cleaning demands of senior housing and Healthcare top of mind, and our wide selection of on-trend fabrics is designed to resist stains and clean up easily.
#2. Create Gathering Spaces with Flexible Furniture
A gathering place for residents that welcomes their families and friends alike is essential to Senior Living design. From multipurpose welcoming lounges, to vibrant bistros and bar areas, creating spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional for versatility throughout the day are crucial in today’s care environments.
Consider flexible furniture options that will create a sanctuary for residents and their families to relax, come together and feel at home. Investing in seating that offers the ability to reconfigure for small intimate groups to larger gatherings and the other demands of the space is critical in common areas.
Furniture such as the Fairfield Lounge Chair, the Anthony Chair and the Anthony Bar Stool are budget-conscious options for creating a warm and inviting senior-focused aesthetic for multiple room use cases.
Folding chairs, such as the Holsag Milan Wood Folding Chair, stackable chairs such as the Maxwell Thomas® Quick-Ship Vincenza Dining Armchair and tilt-top tables such as the Quick-Ship Akin Table Plus® Adjustable Height Table Base with 4-Caster Easy Roller offer the flexibility to quickly transform common areas for movie watching, resident council meetings, birthday parties and happy hours.
In a multi-purpose room common area, consider adding furniture that offers flexible storage as well. The Kenner Hydration Station, for example, offers a stylish beverage station that features water resistant tops as well as adjustable drawers and shelves, providing additional storage for any space.
#3. Explore Smart Senior Living Technologies
While they may not be posting on Tik Tok, older adults are digitally savvy and embrace technologies including their smartphones and computers. That means planning for change by creating environments that can adapt quickly to accommodate new technologies, beyond Wi-Fi.
Integrating built-in phone charging and sanitizing technologies, along with natural lighting and adaptable LED lighting into the design creates inviting gathering places where residents can spend quality time with their families and loved ones. Plus, these high-tech features will impress and even entice grand kids who will light up when they see they can charge their personal electronics with the built-in USB ports in the furniture. Throughout your common rooms, help residents and guests stay connected with reliable Wi-Fi. The Fairfield Paterson Swivel Glider has built-in charging unit for iPhone and Android utilizes ultraviolet disinfection technology.
For more on designing Senior Living spaces, check out our article on Senior Living design trends.
The Bottom Line: Senior Furniture Common Area Trends
Eye-catching design mixed with cutting edge, innovative materials and technology is sure to encourage engagement in common areas. Our design experts offer complimentary consultations to help you get started. Contact us today to start refreshing your common areas.
Are you an interior designer? Check out senior-centric design tips.
