Assisted living facilities date back to the 1400’s. In my research, I found an article that reviewed a handbook written by Gabrielle Zerbi titled “The Gerontocomos” or in English called “The Gerontologist” that outlined the day to day operations of assisted living facilities in Italy. In the manual, Zerbi noted that the purpose of such a facility was to “protect the old from the torture of their bodies, to ward off death by proper care of their health … and to stand guard against those forces which bring on premature death” (Warren, 2012). The residents, wealthy old men, were to be provided with “beautiful women and flowers” to look at, “bright colors for clothing and furniture” in their living spaces, along with “aromatherapy” and “music therapy” for sensory stimulation (Warren, 2012). The residents were so wealthy that they used gold-based products to clean their skin and lessen wrinkles. It was their belief that gold possessed healing properties. The men, however, were the only ones provided with such lavish dwellings and treatment. Elderly women were not housed because they were considered “deformed” and “inferior” to men (Warren, 2012). The manual goes on to state that there will be “cleanliness and elegance of surroundings, windows should be “facing the winter sun, and dwellings should be made bright with “white wash, wood-plank floors, and fireplaces” (Zerbi, 1497). Zerbi even added recommendations on hiring the proper staff. He listed that the ideal candidates were either women or men who were “zealous” that behaved “politely both off and on duty” (Zerbi, 1489). They could be of any age “preferably without a wrinkled body, physically strong, fast, sober, chaste, and trustworthy” and “live in the facility and be available 24/7” (Warren, 2012). From 1498 to 2019, not much has changed in regards to assisted living facilities. The nicer facilities still cater to the rich, while the poor and middle class elders struggle to make ends meet.
In the United States Senior Living Facilities came into existence in the beginning of the early nineteenth century, when women and church groups decided to establish special homes for the elderly persons due to the lack of government intervention. The government had no idea what to do with the aged, the poor, or the homeless during that time (Smith, 2003). There were hardly any standards or none at all, regarding senior assisted living facilities. Life expectancy was low, “there was little that medicine could offer that could make any difference,” and families mainly provided most of the care that was needed day to day (Smith, 2003). The elderly was only a small fraction of the population then, and they just didn’t matter. The government felt that there were more pressing issues. However, in 1966 the Joint Commission on Health Care Organizations (JCAHO), an organization known for accrediting hospitals, created their first accreditation program for nursing homes (Smith, 2003). Finally, rules and regulations were put in place, and standards for assisted living facilities were increased. With these new changes, the former facilities realized that they could no longer operate “legally” and shut down their operations. A report by the National Center for Health Statistics stated that 1,445 facilities were closed between 1969 and 1971 (Smith, 2003). Ever since, assisted living facilities have been growing in popularity and are now being sought after by Baby Boomers. “Future industry growth (of ALF’s) will be spurred by the 77 million Baby Boomers planning to retire over the next two decades” (Ortiz, 2009). With life expectancy continuing to increase in the United States, many individuals who retire at 65 will have to decide where to spend their remaining twenty or thirty more years (Ortiz, 2009). This is expected to increase demand for assisted living services indefinitely. It is estimated that “roughly one million Americans currently reside in senior care facilities”, with the number expected to double by 2030 (Ortiz, 2009). Due to the value that assisted living facilities are providing to the elderly and their children, demand continues to increase. Especially for those that offer services for seniors who suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (Ortiz, 2009). In closing, Baby boomers are more sophisticated and educated in terms of design and know what they want for themselves and or for their aging parents (Marberry, 2018). While the look and feel of a space and how it’s received by prospective residents will likely be the ultimate selling point, “designers and owners/operators must understand that the long-term functionality of a senior living community relies on its underlying safety elements” (Marberry, 2018). “It’s critical that shuffling feet, waning vision, and diminishing strength be answered by products specified for senior living” (Marberry, 2018). Balancing style and safety is an essential design strategy for today’s senior living communities, from independent living to memory care. “Everyone enjoys good design,” and “It can change the quality of life for residents no matter which level of care they are in” (Marberry, 2018). References Marberry, S. (2018). Balancing Senior Living Style And Safety | EFA Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.efamagazine.com/trends/balancing-senior-living-style-and-safety/ Ortiz, J. (2009). Assisted Living Facilities Business Report - U.S. SBA SBDC. Retrieved from http://www.sbdcnet.org/small-business-research-reports/assisted-living-facilities Smith, D. B. (2003). Reinventing Care: Assisted Living in New York City (Vol. 1st ed). Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press. Warren, Carol; Assisted Living in 1489, The Gerontologist, Volume 52, Issue 5, 1 October 2012, Pages 698–702, https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gns053 Zerbi G., The Gerentocomia: On the care of the aged, 1988 L. R. Lind, Trans. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society. (Original work published 1489)
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