Nov. 16, 1999
Contact: Teressa Tignor Gilbreth
Information Specialist
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EDITOR'S NOTE: "Benyamin Schwarz" in the second paragraph is the correct spelling.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS SHAPE ASSISTED LIVING EXPERIENCE FOR ELDERLY
by Kristi Thompson
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The ease of movement from one place to the next. An unrestricted view. The color of a room. Collectively, these are the elements of our environment. They are what shape our sense of security and our ability to function independently. And, too often, these are the features that are neglected in housing for the elderly.
A big part of what makes old age so unappealing is the loss of independence as a result of loss in both physical and mental functioning. However, aging and autonomy are not mutually exclusive, according to Ruth Brent and Benyamin Schwarz, professors in the College of Human Environmental Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
"The term 'old age' can convey positive as well as negative notions -- wisdom and respect or frailty and dependence," said Brent, professor and chair of the MU Department of Environmental Design. In their newly released book Aging, Autonomy and Architecture: Advances in Assisted Living, Schwarz and Brent approach elder care and independence from a unique perspective. An important part of maintaining autonomy, they say, is establishing an environmental setting conducive to physical and emotional self-sufficiency.
Traditionally, when seniors are no longer able to care for themselves they face a host of live-altering decisions. They may move in with a son or daughter, depend on a spouse for care, enter a nursing home or seek other living arrangements. Each option significantly stifles the level of independence they previously enjoyed. More recently, the option has been assisted-living residences, which are operated more like residential housing with care services, affording residents more choices and autonomy.
Conceptually, assisted-living residences do offer greater freedom to a growing segment of the population, but Schwarz and Brent explore the issue one step further. They argue that an assisted-living setting alone doesn't guarantee autonomy; the physical environment itself helps shape an elderly person's ability to function independently.
"Architecture can have a considerable impact on the lifestyles and well-being of frail elders," said Schwarz, associate professor of environmental design. "The physical environment should be able to provide for more than a single, narrowly defined stage of frailty at any given time. Designers of this milieu should strive to do more than produce settings that merely satisfy functional efficiency, marketing needs, construction costs and building codes."
Schwarz points to the concept of "semi-private" rooms in nursing homes as an example. While these rooms may be efficient in terms of space and care-giving, personal needs are left by the wayside. "There is blatant disregard for several aspects of the environments we cherish as human beings," he said. "Sure, humans can adapt to new roommates, but they shouldn't have to when they're dealing with other issues like chronic illness."
In Aging, Autonomy and Architecture, experts from across the nation discuss aging and autonomy from both conceptual and practical angles. The book, a compilation of essays, examines the environmental context of aging in assisted-living settings from the physical, social, commercial, cultural, clinical and psychological perspectives.
"Our purpose is to establish a tie between the practice and theory issues related to the aging population," Brent said. "The book is interdisciplinary in that all related sectors come together to help us realize the multiple perspectives of aging, autonomy and architecture."
As America moves toward the new millennium, the popularity of assisted-living housing will continue to grow, Schwarz said. According to estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau, one in five Americans will be 65 or older by the year 2050. Enhanced support from the federal government also contributes to the rise of assisted-living residences. In many states, stringent rules and regulations regarding long-term care settings have been eased to allow less costly housing options for the elderly. In response, entrepreneurs have jumped at the chance to satisfy a growing consumer-oriented demand for independence.
"As we continue to devise parameters for settings and services for frail elderly," Schwarz said, "let us remember one premise: despite their sometimes damaged minds and worn bodies, frail elders want to exercise their will and enjoy the companionship of others in a setting that can nurture human dignity and feed people's enthusiasm for life."
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