Design Guidelines for Queensland Residential Aged Care (Interiors only)

1. Design Guidelines for Queensland Residential
Aged Care / Less Able Facilities
( In relationship to Interiors Design only. Condensed from PDF Design
Guidelines for Queensland Residential Aged Care Facilities )
prepared by Mel Fee
M J FEE 15 March 2014

2. SUBJECT TITLE
VDIS10005 Interiors for the Less Able
COURSE TITLE
MSF50213 Diploma of Interior Design and
Decoration
M J FEE 15 March 2014

3. AS we age we often require more care to
manage our health and daily lives. Moving
into some form of residential aged care
may be a decision we make for ourselves
or one we have to make for aged parents
or a close friend.

4. Designing for Aged Care is even more
important and will become greater as
generation x, baby boomers and 60’s hippies
move into middle and old age.
Welcome to all our futures!
M J FEE 15 March 2014

5. General Aged Care
Interior Building
Requirements

6. • Future Residential Aged Care
Facilities (RACFs) will be designed as
domestic in scale and nature as
possible
M J FEE 15 March 2014

7. Statement
• Surroundings will be familiar, safe and non-threatening.
• Residents will retain contact with their local
community and will be able to exercise choice
over their day-to-day lives without
compromising their sense of security.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

8. All RACFs are required to enable an elderly
person to age in a single residential
environment with care levels ranging from low
to high requirements.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

9. RACFs are designed to support a range of
conditions, including specialised care for:
Dementia-related illnesses
Psychiatric disorders of old age
High dependency care for the frail aged.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

10. WHEN DESIGNING PLAN TO:
• Reduce demand on non-renewable energy
resources.
• Buildings should be designed, constructed,
equipped and managed to optimise energy
savings.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

11. • Site, orientate, and utilise buildings to
optimise environmental advantages.
• Building services shall be routed in easily
accessible locations to allow for future
modifications.

12. The Interior Design of Residential
Aged Care Facilities (RACFs)
• Aesthetic themes should appeal to a wide
range of residents.
• Incorporate the need of special groups such as
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, and
people from non-English speaking
backgrounds.

13. • Visitors need to be able to sense that they are
welcomed into a ‘home’ rather than an
institution.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

14. • Ensure a spatial hierarchy is established to
clearly define public and private spaces
M J FEE 15 March 2014

15. Design Cues
Vary spatial design and finishes to emphasise
transition points.
Introduce cues to differentiate between
entrances and corridors.
Cues include different building forms and spatial
design, finishes, colour, decoration,
furnishings and artwork, which can stimulate
sight, touch, smell and hearing.

16. • Community spaces and function rooms should
encourage community interaction.
• Low maintenance materials should be used to
keep maintenance costs to a minimum and to
maintain a good quality appearance for long
periods of time.
• Utilise materials of residential character.
• Uneven surfaces must be avoided.

17. • Transition between different use spaces
should be emphasised by design features, eg.
colour, finish, decorative trims, ceiling height,
furnishings, etc.
• Internal partitions should be non-structural
and constructed out of lightweight materials
for easy future removal.

18. All resident bedrooms, dining rooms, and
lounge/sitting rooms should have views to the
outside.
Common areas should have direct or easy access
to outdoor spaces.
Minimise horizontal glazing bars and other
obstructions to outside views from seated and
lying positions.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

19. • Avoid bold patterns and abrupt changes in
floor colours which could be perceived by
residents as steps or ‘holes’ in the floor
(especially in dementia care areas).
• Where possible ensure that all persons have
reasonable views of ‘on-coming-traffic’,
particularly through viewing panels in doors.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

20. • Provide barriers to restrict access to staff-only
areas.
• Discourage residents from using ‘unsafe’ doors
by painting them the same as the adjoining
walls.

21. LIGHTING OF AREAS

22. Lighting of areas
• Where possible locate windows so as to
provide multiple sources of light.
• Ensure that all areas receive the levels of
lighting appropriate to their use.
• Allow users to manipulate lighting to suit task.
• Provide subtle variation in lighting to
emphasise the importance of spaces.

23. Lighting of areas
• Use light fittings of domestic appearance and
domestic quality of soft light in resident-use
areas.
• Avoid harsh commercial lighting solutions in
resident use areas.
• Allow resident control of personal area
lighting which can be easily operated by
resident with poor manual dexterity.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

24. Lighting of areas (general)
Bedside Lighting:
Provide dimmable bedside lighting in addition to normal room lighting.
Locate switch to allow ease of operation by the frail elderly resident.
The bedside lighting should also be two-way switched from the room
entrance.
Night Lighting:
Provide reduced level night lighting to all corridors and exit
passageways . Suitably space night lights to evenly illuminate each
area including ramps and stair treads.
External Lighting:
Provide well lit pathways from entrances and exits to the public
thoroughfare.
Take into account the need to deter intruder.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

25. Lighting of areas (general)
Emergency Lighting:
Provide emergency lighting in all critical use areas
Lighting Controls:
Provided a separate manual ON switch to override any automatic
lighting controls.
Mixed power and lighting circuits are not permitted

26. POWER OUTLETS
•Provide an adequate number of outlets for all
anticipated uses.
•Provide a separate outlet for every appliance in use at
any one time.
•Provide separate surge protected circuits for computers
•Provide green power outlet faceplates for computers,
engraved with the words “computer only”.
•Suitably identify every power outlet with circuit numbers.

27. TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Integrate fittings and conceal where appropriate to
maintain the “residential” atmosphere.
The common cabling infrastructure can be used for
the following services:
• Telephone
• Computer (Data)
• Facsimile
• Staff Call Systems
• Intercom
• Paging
• Security
• MATV - Video/Radio distribution
• Telemedicine Videoconferencing
M J FEE 15 March 2014

28. DESIGN CUES
• Vary floor coverings with texture and colour to
define change in a rooms usage
• Floor level should not vary in any height as
this becomes a tripping hazard.

29. MAIN AREAS
• Reduce noise generated by trolleys
• Reduce noise generated by the preparation,
serving and eating of meals.
• Use carpet or acoustically absorbent vinyl
finishes on corridor and common area floors.
• Utilise low-maintenance absorptive surfaces,
eg. acoustic ceilings in areas where acoustic
absorption of flooring and furnishings is
inadequate.

30. • Select ceiling, wall, partition and door types to
minimise the transfer of noise between
rooms.
• Seating fabrics should have some form of
water repellence, Fabrics for aged care refer
Warwick Fabrics
• Ensure that fabrics and finishes comply with
fire safety requirements.

31. BEDROOMS & ENSUITE

32. BEDROOMS
• Maximise opportunities for residents to
personalise their private spaces.
• Bedrooms should include facilities for display
of personal pictures, photographs, ornaments,
etc.
• Allow for some personalisation / naming of
doorways to bedrooms.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

33. • Provide user-friendly window operating
mechanisms.
• Provide insect screens across all window and
door openings.
• Fit suitable security screens to window and
door openings through which intruders could
enter or distressed residents exit.

34. Furniture, Furnishings and Fittings
• Each room will need a comfortable chair or
recliner for the patient . Sufficient chairs for
visitor seating need to be included (or
available) in the bedroom.
• A bedside cabinet, preferably with a lockable
drawer is required.

35. • • The wardrobe should be 1200 mm
minimum in length. It will ideally have hanging
and drawer space. Adequate shelving, storage
or display space is necessary for flowers and
personal possessions.
• A suitably designed bench space can allow for
a small fridge (if appropriate), wheelchair
storage, linen storage and bedside walking
frames.

36. • Nurse Call Buttons should be adjacent to the
bed. This can be on a cord.
• Picture rails will allow for the hanging of
pictures or wall hangings and a pin-board can
provide an area for displaying cards or photos.

37. • Doors may be fitted with internal locking
devices that have external release
mechanisms.
• The recommended ceiling height is 2700 mm.
• Furnishings should be of a commercial quality
with impervious inner lining and removable
washable covers.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

38. Finishes
• Floors – carpet (preferred) or domestic like
matt finish vinyl over an impervious sealed
floor.
• Walls – washable paint and wall protection for
bed heads must be incorporated.
• Ceiling – painted.
• Joinery – paint, melamine, laminate or sealed
natural wood.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

39. Typical Bedroom Floor Pans

40. FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP
• Direct access is essential to an ensuite.

41. ENSUITE

42. • The ensuite will comprise a toilet, shower, hand
basin and storage cupboard.
• Creation of a domestic environment is
encouraged.
• the ease of cleaning and long term maintenance
of the room should still be considered.
• Grab rails should be robust and maintenance free

43. • The hand basin must be designed to enable
usage by residents in wheelchairs or using
walking frames. The height of the basin needs
to allow for a person sitting down.
• A mirror should be installed over the hand
basin and possibly to the side of hand basin at
a lower level for people in wheelchairs or
sitting down.

44. SHOWER
• Installation of shower facilities with grab-rails
and an adjustable and detachable shower
hose.
• The ensuite should be designed in accordance
with the guidelines set out in the:
Australian Standards – Designs for Access and
Mobility
M J FEE 15 March 2014

45. • There should be sufficient room for two to
three persons to manoeuvre in and allow
space for shower chairs, over toilet seats,
lifting devices, shower trolleys or other
appropriate items.
• A nightlight should be located over the toilet.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

46. • There should be waterproof nurse call buttons
adjacent to both the toilet pan and the
shower.
Hot Water
• All hot water must be supplied via a
thermostatic mixing valve or similar approved
temperature control device.
M J FEE 15 March 2014

47. THE END
M J FEE 15 March 2014