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BY BHARGAV GOSWAMI & SHERRI SHAFIEI | PHOTOS BY JEFFREY TOTARO Last fall the New York Times carried an article by Louise Aronson, a geriatrician at the University of California, San Francisco, titled "New Buildings for Older People" (Nov. 1, 2014). She described her experience bringing her 82-year old father to a brand new healthcare facility at a leading medical center and the struggle that ensued as she led him with his walker into the clinic — including seating with no arm supports and long distances to the right destination within the building. No doubt she could have gone on listing issues with the design that made it dif cult to navigate for someone like her father. Healthcare architects and designers are well aware this is not an unusual incident given changing U.S. demographics. Nearly 15 percent of the population, over 40 million people, is over the age of 65, and the number is growing. Roughly 11 million are over 80, making them one of the fastest growing cohorts. Today there are an estimated 70,000 centenarians with estimates projecting this segment of the population to rise to 700,000 by the year 2050. Geriatric challenges Older patients present healthcare facilities with a unique set of concerns, including co-morbidities, chronic illnesses, cognitive and psychiatric needs, problems with activities of daily living, sensory issues and the need for socialization, many of which Optimizing design for geriatric patients TOWARD A SILVER ARCHITECTURE are dif erent from those of younger adult patients. Older patients are likely to have diminished vision, hearing, memory, mobility and strength and slower responses to external stimuli. They are more likely to suf er from depression and anxiety, which may be exacerbated in trying to deal with unfamiliar, fast-paced and often confusing clinical 700,000 There are an estimated 70,000 centenarians. The centenarian population is expected to rise to 700,000 by the year 2050. 15% Nearly 15 percent of the population, over 40 million people, are 65+. Roughly 11 million people are over 80. ISSUE FOCUS POPULATION PLANNING Considerations for the geriatric population in this lobby included incorporating carpet to reduce noise and falls, as well as high-back chairs with sturdy arms to support elderly patients. 32 Medical Construction & Design | M AY/ J U N E 2015 | MCDM AG.COM