Walker Methodist Care Center

Alzheimer's Care Unit

Minneapolis, MN

IN BRIEF:

•  83 Alzheimer's care beds
•  2nd & 3rd Floors of larger long term care center
  
  

THE CHALLENGE:

To address advances in medical research and growing expectations of Alzheimer's residents and families, Walker sought to improve the environment offered to its resident within the following project goals:

•  Take a holistically different look at the space to create a skilled dementia unit, yet make dynamic change  within a $1M budget.
  
  
•  Create smaller neighborhoods to help in care giving by reducing the large number of people into smaller  families with separate dining, activity and day room spaces.
  
  
•  Reduce the feel and look of the long corridors.
  
  
•  Prevent the reduction of beds.  
  
  

THE SOLUTION:

Understanding the challenges of the project, the final design goal would be to reposition the facility, a fairly new concept in the senior housing and healthcare industry. The new environment featured:

•  A clustered unit configuration that simulates the winding  streets of a village where long  monotonous hallways give  way to intimate residential neighborhoods.
  
  
•  Personal delivery of care services with dining, nursing and  activity spaces interspersed within each neighborhood.
  
  
•  A town square complete with a "streetside" cafe, parkscape,  fruit stands, outdoor patio and transparent service delivery  sites.

In this new village environment, resident behaviors are not limited, but rather compensated for. Issues such as wayfinding and orientation are addressed with sight, touch and smell stimulation through an apple lounge and multiple points of choice that encourage observation and socialization.