The Special Care Unit at Renfrew Care Centre

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The Special Care Unit at Renfrew Care Centre
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Professional Environment Assessment Protocol
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Therapeutic Environment Screening Scale (TESS)

• Many windows and wide windows giving residents
  many views to outside and other key spaces like
  courtyard, allow sunlight and when opened, for
  fresh air.
• The unit is a round track design to cut down on
  dead ends and generally one way so, resident sees
  where he/she is going.
• Kept reasonably clean, no odors, and no obstacles
  impairing safety.
• Main activity/dining room seats 100 of residents
  while smaller one can seat 50.

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TESS continued...

• There is a real effort by Renfrew to create
  residential home-like atmosphere through
  furniture, decorations and other features like a
  selected kitchen.
• There are lots of cues and not a lot of noise.
• And there is just enough tactile stimulation in
  fake plants, dolls, plush animals, stereos,
  props.
• Renfrews SCU generally scored high subjective
  ratings regarding aspects of overall unit
  atmosphere, ranging from 7 to 10s.

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FLOOR PLAN
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ANNOTATED FLOORPLAN
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ANNOTATED FLOOR PLAN CONT
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COMMENTS ON FLOORPLAN

• This space is used for all major activities and
  also for dinning.
• When it sunny residents prefer to go to the
  smaller lounge when the sun shines in.
• Everyone that uses the space has their own
  favorite seat and for dinner/lunch/breakfast
  seating is assigned.

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LEVELS OF SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE MORNING
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LEVELS OF SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT IN THE AFTERNOON
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LEVELS OF SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT IN LATE AFTERNOON/
EVENING
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Levels of Social EngagementDiscussion

• The percentage of social activity among
  volunteers can be misleading. At the most there
  were only five visitors during one period of the
  day.
• Nurses and care aids varied in number during the
  day. There were more workers in the late
  afternoon than at any other time.

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Photographs
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Qualitative ImpressionsEnvironmental Ambience

• Although the environment is kept very clean and
  tidy there is no trace of menacing cleaning
  odours in the air.
• The walls are decorated with still photos and
  some childrens drawings.
• The access to the outdoor spaces and  a safe
  place to smoke is a great physical characteristic
  of the centre.
• No background noise present. (except television
  and elevator).

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Qualitative Impressions Cont.Environmental
Ambiance

• Small activity space is clinical looking and
  there are not many residential cues.
• The main activity area is visually connected to
  two hallways and the nurses  station.
• There are only three double rooms. Every other
  room is private and every room has its own
  bathroom.
• Lighting is inadequate in transitory places.
  Abundant sunshine is present but not adequately
  filtered.

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Social Ambience

• Renfrew Care centre reflects the cultural
  diversity of the area. There are many languages
  spoken including Italian, Cantonese, and Hindi
  just to name a few.
• The staff accommodates this diversity by learning
  key terms and also there are many bilingual staff
  members.
• Games played do not require a person to speak
  English fluently games like Bingo.

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Social Ambiance Cont.

• Provide a newsletter that has many positive
  functions like creating an inclusive environment
  for family participation.
• Residents are accustomed to sitting in particular
  places and there are designated seats for meals.
• The staff is extremely friendly and competent.
  They always try to communicate with the residents
  and are very nice to visitors.
• The presence of memory boxes is a quite positive
  environment.

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Design Recommendations

• For cosmetic changes Renfrew Care Centre could
  consider the following
• Introducing more residential style furniture.
• Changing paint colour to something a bit brighter
  and not as clinical.
• More contrast between colours of floor and walls.
• Window treatments to filter sunlight.
• Creating more small group seating arrangements.

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Design Recommendation Cont.

• For more elaborate changes consider
• Reducing dead ends
• Change flooring to either darker no glare
  linoleum or to another finishing i.e.carpeting
• Creating a more open floorplan.
• Using part of courtyard to extend activity area.
  This would provides spaces that could be used for
  small group discussions.
• Creating more tactile surfaces on walls.
• Using wider variety of materials for furniture.
  This would create more visual and tactile
  interest.