(C06) Prioritizing Health and Wellbeing in Senior Housing

This session will look specifically at senior housing projects and mental well-being. While physical and mental health declines are a normal part of aging, research indicates that this decline can be exacerbated by relocation to senior housing. Additionally, studies find that depression in seniors living in homes is often not recognized by staff; but it is imperative that staff are trained to effectively notice, and act on, these symptoms. Facilities can also promote residents’ psychological well-being by nurturing the health of their staff. By prioritizing organizational factors, such as resources and workload, facilities can increase job satisfaction and improve the quality of resident care. Research indicates that staff wellbeing is crucial for resident outcomes and because they report a greater burden and level of helplessness that employees in other fields, it is important to create a supportive work environment for them as well. Harrison Street is in the process of benchmarking and upgrading their senior housing portfolio based on the research, and then certifying the impact via Fitwel. Examples of the work being done is optimizing room design features, context appropriate lighting, and employee retention to ensure holistic health for all occupants. Building design elements can specifically help to support the mental health of residents. The evidence indicates views of nature are fundamentally important to resident well-being, and the positive health impacts of greenery and natural light are well understood. The panelists at this session will discuss these interventions and other strategies towards improving the quality of life for senior residents, as well as the ways in which they can improve staff retention in these settings and validate the improvements among residents and employees.