Insights & Solutions

The following are compiled from research literature, case studies, interviews, and other materials to provide an overview on the topic of aging populations.  

This webinar covers pioneering models for healthy living and healthcare, including examples from the village movement, healthcare at home, and multigenerational day care. As people live longer, managing the needs of the aging population is more important than ever. But the needs of the aging population – love, safety, health and wellness, the pursuit of happiness – are the same for any person at any age. 

Learn about: how the physical setting of a special care unit for dementia patients can affect their behavior in both positive and negative ways, design features that may help engage residents and foster socialization, and strategic choices of flooring surfaces, flooring transitions, and wayfinding that can help create a safer environment.

Learn about: why the imagined and built environment needs to take a broader, more deliberate role in supporting aging patients, the tools that designers and providers must use to create supportive physical and social spaces, and information that visionaries, collaborators, and patients can share to streamline the design process.

Learn about: why the needs of older people are often overlooked, how universal design can support people as they age, how universal design also benefits people of varying abilities and generations, and the need for designers to think about functionality in new and existing spaces.

Learn about: How UMCPP accommodates the unique needs of senior citizens through a special ED unit, design features that were included to help older patients and their families better navigate the space, and the hospital’s acute care for the elderly (ACE) unit, and why it is configured to transition senior ED patients for an inpatient stay in the most supportive environment.

One of the many significant changes in the healthcare field in recent years is the integration of technology in new and exciting ways. While the latest IT developments bring a variety of benefits to patients of all ages, it’s perhaps the aging population with chronic health concerns who get the most out of the healthcare technology available today.

Some of the latest innovations that are making a difference for older Americans include:

Today, people are living longer than ever before, and many will have greater needs for medical care in their later years. In fact, as baby boomers age, many will be living with chronic health problems requiring a coordinated approach to manage these issues effectively and efficiently.

There’s no place like home. That’s why, in the not-too-distant future, many older people will be able to access medical care and services for chronic and acute health conditions from the comfort and convenience of their own residences.  

Learn about: the need for current healthcare systems to accommodate a growing number of older Americans, how healthcare needs change as people age, design features that can help older patients feel more at home in an inpatient setting, and how home design can contribute to personal health and satisfaction over time.