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Planning An Assisted Living Centre

Assisted living centres are an integral part of life for many families located throughout the UK. They tend to house elderly people who can no longer live on their own due to a variety of issues such as osteoporosis, dementia, alzheimer's disease, and other physical abnormalities. As a result, assisted living centres must be able to provide a safe environment. For example, a building plan for one of these centres must make it easy for residents to get from one room to the next. This means that they should not have to navigate sharp turns and other obstacles in order to meet their needs. Straight hallways leading to and from essential areas are a must. This will accommodate people who must use walkers and wheel chairs to get around.

Naturally, elderly people must be provided with safe ways to exit the building in case of an emergency. Multiple fire exits are located in various locations for most of the newest assisted living centres in the UK. Clearly marked exits allow residents and their care takers to get to safety in case of a fire. Wheelchair access is also important. These access points must be provided in the fire escapes and main entrance ways. A building design with quality wheel chair access allows older residents to live a much more independent lifestyle as well.

The dining and kitchen areas are two of the most popular locations within an assisted living centre. This is where a majority of the social interactions occur. However, safety must be taken into account during the construction phase. Wiring within the building must allow for easy access points when it comes to electrical outlets which are used to hook up TV's, for example. Dining areas must be constructed to not only allow room for residents to sit and dine in peace, but also for the walkers and wheel chairs that they use to get to the area to begin with. Kitchens must be constructed to allow easy access to dining halls so that residents do not have to travel far.

One of the most important aspects of an assisted living centre, is the reading or leisure room. Most architects in the UK make sure that they build rooms which provide plenty of natural light. Large light bulbs can lead to health problems such as headaches or seizures in older residents. Large windows must be placed in the area to provide natural light for reading and relaxation. This provides a measure of tranquility for all residents, and it serves to improve their overall mood in the process. When it comes to planning and building an assisted living centre, it pays to come up with a quality plan to help older residents to remain autonomous.