“We Shape Our Buildings, Then They Shape Us”
Winston Churchill
Psychosocially
Supportive Design
- A Salutgenic Approach on Physical Environments
Alan Dilani1,
Charlotte Conrad2 and Henrik Tangen3
1. Karolinska Institutet,
Dep. of Learning, Informatics, Management and
Ethics (LIME)
Design & Health, Sweden
2. HR-manager, Research Center Design & Health, Sweden
3. Health Promoter, Research Center Design & Health, Sweden
From a research perspective, health can be
divided into a pathogenic and salutgenic approach. Pathogenic
research focuses on explaining why certain etiological factors
cause disease and how they are developed in the physiological
organism. Salutgenic research is based on identifying wellness
factors that maintain and promote health, rather than
investigate factors that cause disease. In this article,
different research fields are studied and psychosocially
supportive elements that can promote health and well-being are
identified. The article shows how
the salutgenic approach provides a basic
theoretical framework for psychosocially supportive design in
the physical environment. The result emphasizes that following
factors can be psychosocial supportive and promote the
individual’s health and wellbeing: daylight; good lighting;
attractive and inviting space for social interaction; private
and quiet space; landmarks; access to visual and physical
nature, symbolic and spiritual elements, art, music, space for
restoration; and interior design with positive distractions. The
results also indicate that it is important to be in control of
lighting, daylight, sound and social interaction. One of the
conclusions is that it is time for decision makers to implement
psychosocially supportive design. The conclusions indicate that
psychosocially supportive design can promote health, well-being
and also increase productivity and profitability.
Keywords: Health, Health promotion Psychosocially supportive
design, Physical environment, Salutgenic research, Sound,
Daylight, Lighting,, Music, Nature, Restoration, Space,
Landmarks, Productivity.
Health Promotion by Design in Elderly Care
Alan Dilani, Ph.D. and Agneta Morelli, B.Sc.
Objective:
The overall purpose of this study was to
systematically investigate the
environmental requirements of health promotion by
design in elderly care and to identify the specific supportive
design conditions contributing to the promotion of healthy living
and working environments. Methods: A combination approach
based on the Future Workshop model (action research) was used. The
reference group consisting of thirty persons participated in a
series of workshops, seminars and field studies. A questionnaire
directed to health care staff included subjective measures of health
using the Sense of Coherence Scale, a Health Index Scale and a
section of questions developed by the authors regarding the
experienced physical environment. The study was carried out at
Vårbergs Nursing Home in Stockholm, Sweden during the year 2004.
Results: The results pointed to a correlation between
experienced health and sense of coherence among health care staff.
The importance of the physical living and working environment for
health rated higher compared to existing environmental conditions.
Specific and essential design requirements for healthy living and
working environments in elderly care were identified and
recommended. Implications: This research demonstrates a need
to develop organizational values and non-pharmacological
alternatives within elderly care. The designed environment is one of
the most enduring approaches and requires a deeper understanding of
the interaction between the physical environment and the aging
person in this particular setting. Conditions to support health
among the elderly would be improved through the use of
psychosocially supportive design as a complement to the medical
model.
Keywords:
Elderly care, Health promotion, Environmental Design,
Health
Health
Supportive Design in Elderly Care Homes:
Swedish Examples and their implications on Korean Counterparts
Sookyoung Lee
Guest Researcher, Research Center Design & Health, Stockholm, Sweden
Alan Dilani
Director, Research Center Design & Health, Stockholm, Sweden
Agneta Morelli
Project Manager, Research Center Design & Health, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract
The objective of this research study was twofold; 1) to explore and
identify health supportive design factors in Swedish elderly care
homes and 2) to understand their usefulness and suggest applications
in Korean elderly care settings. A descriptive and explorative
method was applied using a combination of field studies and
semi-structured interviews. Three study trips were carried out
during Sept. 14th
and Oct. 12th
2005; two facilities situated in Stockholm suburbs and
one in the south of Sweden. According to this research, the valuable
factors to support health and well-being for the elderly are as
follows; 1) Community integration: In urban planning, these elderly
care homes are generally places close to a residential area center
or a city center. Services are often shared between residents and
community members at large, consequently there is a flow of
“visitors” of all ages connecting with the facility on a daily
basis. 2) Homelike environment: A noteworthy aspect of Swedish
elderly care homes is keeping the facility appearance as homelike as
possible. The associations with home may be explored through the
appearance and configuration of both the exterior and interior of
the building. These homes seemed to be designed with a conscious aim
to create a homelike setting. 3) Accessibility to garden and nature:
The courtyard is a well developed concept in designing elderly care
homes in Sweden. They are generally safe and easily accessible to
the residents. Studying Swedish models may provide practical
knowledge of how the physical setting may improve resident’s health
in Korean elderly care homes.
Keywords:
elderly care home, health supportive design, community integration,
homelike environment, accessibility to nature
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