At Maplewood Senior Living, we cultivate a lifestyle based on a heart-led philosophy of vibrant, intentional living founded on nine essential lifestyle building blocks—one of which is energizing environments.
For many older adults, making the decision to move to a senior living community can evoke many different emotions. While the anticipation of what is ahead can feel exciting and joyful, the grief of leaving behind a family home and lifelong communities can be overwhelming. A senior living community is more than just a place to put your things. For many people, it’s the start of a new life chapter, the beginning of new friendships and an opportunity for learning. At Maplewood Senior Living, our communities are carefully cultivated to spur inspiration and delight the senses while also promoting autonomy and accessibility. Senior living design can enhance comfort, safety and shape ordinary spaces into thriving and inviting environments when done the right way. The best senior living communities use core design principles that create beautiful and functional spaces designed to serve older adults as they navigate the nuances of aging.
Senior housing design has come a long way in the past decade. Instead of sterile and institutionalized environments, senior living communities have transformed these spaces to feel more like homes, filled with warmth and comfort. Our Maplewood Senior Living communities aim to enhance residents’ quality of life by designing spaces that encourage socialization, integrate natural light, promote independence, and allow residents to age with dignity. At Maplewood Senior Living, we implement these core design principles into each community to create one-of-a-kind spaces that feel like home:
As we age, our ability to remain safe in our environments plays a role in how and where we decide to live our later years. For many senior living communities, including Maplewood Senior Living, safety and mobility play a crucial role when it comes to designing spaces for older adults. This often includes specialty features such as wide doorways, ramps instead of stairs, non-slip surfaces to reduce the risk of falls, handrails in hallways and bathrooms, and strategically placed emergency call systems. Our comprehensive resident safety systems include on-call nursing, real-time location capabilities and access control to help keep residents safe and sound. These safety measures allow residents to remain independent knowing help is just one call away.
Our communities are our residents’ homes and comfort is a priority. From plush seating to dimmable lighting and digital thermostats, every element is designed to make life feel more comfortable. Many seniors choose to make the move to a senior living community to have access to everything they need in one place. To help our residents remain independent for longer, our amenities are strategically placed to improve overall experience. This includes easy access to our hair salons, dining rooms, fitness centers and activity areas.
Technology is transforming life for seniors by enhancing the control they have over their environment while also fostering a sense of independence and safety. Our Catalyst technology suite is a curated set of technology products and platforms designed to spark connection, engagement and enhance safety, health and happiness. For example, residents with hearing impairments can use our wireless noise-cancelling headsets in group activities, one-on-one interactions, family visits or fitness programs. Some communities offer smart home technology, allowing residents to adjust the lights, play music, change the thermostat, call the concierge or request information like daily menus and weather forecasts through voice activation.
Environments that encourage seniors to spend time in nature and the outdoors is becoming an increasingly important element of senior design. Researchers from Penn State and other universities found that “fostering social connections around nature-based activities may be connected to improved health and quality of life for elders.” To continue the feeling of home, our communities offer secure spaces where residents can go outside, as the weather permits. Outdoor spaces are the perfect setting for gardening, gathering, or just soaking up nature. The connection to nature – whether it is seeing, smelling, or touching, the ability to enjoy the outdoors safely is especially important for individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia and is an important part of our memory care program. Our team focuses on giving our residents the ability to feel independent and in control of their lives as much as possible, and these spaces allow them to make decisions to engage as they choose.
Older adults are at an increased risk of social isolation and loneliness. Our communities are designed to make socializing with others feel natural and effortless. Our dining rooms are designed for socializing. These large open areas are a combined effort of natural light, ample space, and contrasting colors for our resident’s safety. Open gathering spaces, large party rooms, and comfortable seating are frequent in our communities and encourage residents to connect with each other throughout the day.
“When I first came to Maplewood, I didn’t realize how lonely I had been in my condo previously. So, once I was here, I made it my mission to meet as many people as I could, through planned activities or simply going to sit with different groups at meals. Beyond the community itself, the structure with its high ceilings, fresh lighting, and beautiful grounds are just spectacular; it’s like heaven. The outdoor areas are especially glorious, with gardens taken care of by our own residents. It’s a joy to live here at Maplewood every day.”
Adele, Maplewood Resident
Designing purposeful spaces is important at every level of care. Our memory care communities are specifically designed to meet the needs of the dementia community while prioritizing patient-centered care:
Creating smaller spaces with private bedrooms and shared common spaces can help individuals with dementia feel more comfortable and can be less overwhelming than institutional settings. Materials and color palettes, décor, and minimizing the visibility of any hospital equipment can make a huge difference in how dementia patients feel in their space.
Those with dementia are likely to get lost or occasionally lose their way, even in familiar environments. Memory care facilities that use distinct cues, such as artwork or color-coded hallways can help aid in wayfinding and decrease feelings of confusion for those with dementia. In addition, exposure to natural sunlight can help alleviate sleeping disorders and decrease the risk of sundowning.
Successful memory care communities are designed to promote engagement while also providing quiet and peaceful spaces. Wandering behaviors can oftentimes be redirected with safe and purposeful activities. Hallways and walkways will often lead to activity stations that promote active engagement and positively redirect wandering. In addition, if wandering behaviors are reflecting stress or overstimulation, quiet spaces can alleviate these feelings and promote a sense of calm.
Some symptoms of dementia include feelings of anxiety and paranoia, which can cause people with Alzheimer’s disease to feel unsafe even when they are in a secure environment. While it’s important that the actual environment is safe and secure, it’s equally important that those with dementia perceive themselves to be safe and secure. Memory care communities can encourage independence in their residents with dementia by adding subtle safety features such as lockable storage spaces for dangerous materials, restricted window openings, fences at least 6-feet high and regulated water temperatures.
We’ve designed our communities and neighborhoods to inspire and energize our residents at every level of care. As you consider Maplewood Senior Living, we invite you to visit us and see the difference purposeful design can have on your quality of life as you navigate the nuances of aging. To schedule a tour of our communities, please contact us.
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