2022 de Fiddes Design Trends for Aged Care
At de Fiddes we are committed to staying at the forefront of innovative design. We have been creating enabling environments for residential, retirement, dementia and disability care for over 28 years; we have discovered a thing or two (or three or four) about what works and what doesn’t! Our experience has informed our list of findings for the ‘2022 de Fiddes Design Trends for Aged Care.’
Sustainability: is more than an eco fad. Making the most of refurbishments means knowing what can be kept, re-used and re-purposed. This has the added bonus of stretching the budget too. Sustainability is much more than just reducing waste; it extends to thinking about how items can be used and re-used which requires some out of the box thinking.
Items that can be reused and repurposed can be anything, from artwork to furniture to trickets. Don’t chuck out before we help audit!
Outdoors are In: We all need access to fresh air and aged care facilities are no different. Outdoor spaces with areas that get both sun and shade allow for social gatherings and relaxing moments. Keeping these outdoor areas inviting and well designed is key. Listen to our Deb Talk on Nature here.
Biophilic is best: This doesn’t just mean adding a plant or two. Biophilic means creating spaces of safety and comfort that one can go to be at rest. Homely spaces that invite peace are key, and nature motifs are just one way that can be achieved. By keeping a natural look and feel of the outdoors but working it indoors means the sensations and feelings of being outside also come in. Think meditation garden but inside. Adding greenery, (both real and fake) sounds of running water, or even natural fibres will freshen up a space and adds a sense of zen. Listen to this month’s Deb Talk to hear her go into more detail on Biophilia and its caveman origins.
The Tibbetan Singing Bowl from Ethical By Nature.
Wellness: Speaking of peace, wellness has been big for a while now but in aged care this looks a little different to mainstream. Exercise and gyms are not within everyone’s capability and perhaps mental wellness is more important in the aged care sector.
How does one gain a sense of mental wellness? Alternative therapies can work wonders for both residents and staff such as sound healing and mindfulness activities relative to life skills are great ways to include residents and help care for their mental health.
Wellness is so important and so we wanted to share two tools that we love.
The first is the Tibetan Singing Bowls - research indicates that singing bowls can enhance meditation and deep breathing, which help maximize the stress-relieving benefits. Singing Bowls from Ethical by Nature are fair trade. Plus the company donate a portion of every online sale to Oxfam Australia, they give 1% of sales to 1% For the Planet and plant one tree for each sale through TreeNation.
The second wellness tool we think is great is the DreamPad Pillow. Read more about it here.