Environments for Aging - Summer 2019 - 12

BULLETIN
Project briefs
COMPLETED

3 tips for flooring
renovations
The assisted living market in senior living is more competitive than ever before, and many owners and operators are upgrading their communities to keep them feeling fresh and appealing.
These renovations can include updating the flooring, using a variety of new products and styles
now available. But before a design team delves into the project, it's important to understand not
only the aesthetics but also the performance qualities of flooring; after all, flooring is subjected to
a lot of abuse and must be able to stand up to heavy traffic, frequent cleaning, and other issues.
Here's some advice from Fuse Alliance, an industry association representing commercial
flooring contractors, to consider when upgrading flooring in an assisted living community.
Consider your options. Ten years ago, there were relatively few flooring materials on the market, with a typical senior living project consisting of carpet in the
living areas and vinyl or ceramic tile in the bathrooms. Today's projects are much
more complex, incorporating carpet with a combination of hard surface materials
that come in a variety of size, color, and texture options. Those options include rubber flooring,
ceramic tile, luxury vinyl tile, and sheet vinyl. One thing to consider about hard surfaces is that
they're not very forgiving when it comes to an uneven subfloor, so there may be more floor
prep prior to installation, which increases costs. Hard-surface products also don't absorb
sound like carpet, so a higher noise level must be considered. The plus side of these products
is that they're easier to clean and maintain and are more resistant to wear and tear. However,
it's important to purchase a product that has a commercial wear layer to withstand day-to-day
usage. Some of the new hard surface products come with a rubber backing to cushion a fall
better than conventional vinyl products.
Be strategic. It's important to consider what flooring products make the most
sense for a specific environment. For example, in a dining room, broadloom
carpet with a pattern is a good solution for sound absorption and to hide spots
and stains. Carpeting with a moisture barrier layer is ideal for resident rooms. In
memory care, it's important not to use hard or soft surface products with a high-contrast pattern, because they can be confusing to residents with cognitive impairments.
Perform a moisture test. Moisture in the concrete subfloor has become a big
issue with flooring because today's hard surface products are more sensitive
to moisture than traditional carpet. Additionally, the prevalence of water-based,
environmentally friendly adhesives makes them more susceptible to moisture
moving through the slab. It's important for project teams to work with a flooring contractor to
perform a moisture test, because unresolved moisture issues can lead to flooring not adhering to the subfloor and require a costly replacement. Also, older buildings have no vapor
retarder underneath the concrete. This means there's no membrane between the ground
and concrete to stop naturally occurring moisture transmission from coming up through the
concrete, which can push new flooring off the subfloor.-Geoff Gordon, executive director,
Fuse Alliance (Laguna Niguel, Calif.)

Dominion Senior Living celebrated the
opening of its personal care and memory
care community in Florence, Ky. Dominion Senior Living of Florence offers 60
two-bedroom, one-bedroom, and studio
apartments. The community also provides
assisted living and specific care for seniors
dealing with Alzheimer's, dementia, and
other memory impairments.

Chevy Chase House Luxury Senior
Living in Washington, D.C., wrapped up
a $10.2 million renovation. The 20-month
project focused on improvements and upgrades to the lobby, common spaces, and
residential apartments. The redesign was
led by design firm Celeste Hart Interiors.
Silver Birch Living completed Silver Birch
of Fort Wayne, a 119-unit affordable
senior living community in Fort Wayne,
Ind. The 97,000-square-foot assisted living
facility provides studio and one-bedroom
residences. Located on 4.2 acres, the
four-story community features resortstyle living and a variety of amenities. The
interior design for the project was planned
by HED and executed by Strong Design
Consultants.

EFAmagazine.com * Summer 2019

THE CHELSEA AT SHREWSBURY

Capitol Seniors Housing recently celebrated
the opening of The Chelsea at Shrewsbury in Shrewsbury, N.J. The $29.3 million,
three-story, 73,000-square-foot community, operated by Chelsea Senior Living,
features 85 residential suites. Designed by
Meyer Senior Living Studio, the community
offers personalized assisted living in studio
and one- and two-bedroom apartments;
memory care apartments; and independent
living.

http://www.EFAmagazine.com

Environments for Aging - Summer 2019

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