Environments for Aging - Winter 2021 - 36

community
among many seniors in the United States. Biophilic
interventions such as regular access to vegetation
and water features (patterns that Terrapin identifies
as visual connection with nature and presence of
water) can help reduce systolic blood pressure for
improved control of hypertension and, thus, the potential
for a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease.
Making a plan
With such health outcomes at front of mind,
leveraging early planning and incorporating
small-scale, meaningful interventions can guide
the design process and make it easier to achieve
those outcomes. In addition to considering the
user group, a plan should consider the day-inthe-life
biophilic experience of senior residents,
including dwell time and recurrence of experiences,
and how a given biophilic design pattern may
support health outcomes relevant to space type or
activity (e.g., stress reduction in communal spaces
versus healthy sleep patterns in residential units).
Having a well-documented biophilic design plan
can also be used for projects pursuing LEED or
WELL certifications.
Early planning for cost-effective biophilic experiences
is especially necessary for spatial elements
such as those that impact structural components,
ceiling heights, and views. For example, enclosed
courtyards with nature and water features, whether
indoors or outdoors, can support seniors' autonomy
and agency with safe and controlled access at any
hour while enabling caregivers to observe from a
distance. This type of intervention would need to
be incorporated early in a project and potentially be
integrated with other building systems to remain
cost effective.
Also important is for operators of senior living
communities to get involved early in the
process to help designers understand which
biophilic interventions are likely to be easy or difficult
to maintain, particularly in the face of budget
constraints that may change over time. Early
involvement can also help operators understand
the " why " behind design decisions and increase the
likelihood that these biophilic interventions will be
memorialized in the facility guidelines so that staff
are aware of and can operationally maintain them.
Strategic interventions
Opportunities for incorporating the patterns of
biophilic design can seem limited when working
within the confines of older buildings, specifically,
but successful approaches are about quality over
quantity. For existing communities where renovations
are minimal in scale, a few well-planned,
tactical interventions can be very effective. These
smaller, strategically placed interventions, also
known as " biophilic acupuncture, " aim to elevate
the biophilic experience without commandeering
large budget sums or square footage. Some strategies
worth considering include:
* Nooks and crevices along a building's interior or
exterior can be used to create micro restorative
experiences-pleasant, engaging, and potentially
beloved surprises in a resident's routine. Several
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