Environments for Aging - Fall 2020 - 54

ADVERTORIAL

Q&A
Margaret Yu

Director of Client Experience
RLPS Architects
What's one major design
or care delivery trend
that's shaping your work
today? And how so?
In the past, assisted living
(AL) resident spaces
were often buffered
from independent living
residents. Communities
are blurring these lines
to encourage a culture of
connectivity and inclusion.
While the COVID-19 crisis
has initiated new planning
criteria throughout the
care continuum, many
communities are still moving

toward an open model of
planning.
This approach to
programming fosters
a more holistic design
process by removing
the tendency to
compartmentalize levels of
care. Through intentional
planning of specific
amenity spaces, we create
opportunities for shared
experience across multiple
levels of care that reduce
fear, celebrate each
individual and enrich the
entire community.

Photo: Tennison Photography

In what sector of senior
living do you expect to
see the most growth in
the next few years?
Intergenerational
partnership within senior
communities is growing
rapidly, fostering authentic
connections between
senior residents and their
greater communities. As
architects, we strengthen
these partnerships

Q&A
Matt Schuler

Director of Culinary Development
SCOPOS Hospitality Group
In what sector of
senior living do you
expect to see the most
growth in the next few
years?
Technology, technology,
technology! This is a
very broad topic and
can ultimately lead to a
very long response, so I
will keep it short. We will
look at technology with a
whole new perspective as
we approach a younger,
more informed generation
moving in. From tracking
occupancy in a space,
54

Supplement to Environments for Aging

using UV lighting in
storage areas to help
sanitize, or implementing
software for residents and
employees to order food
from their smart phones.
We have to mimic the
technological advances
the restaurant industry
has been implementing
throughout the last 10
years and provide similar
access to data, ordering,
and delivery methods.
Tell us something
surprising about your

Photo: Clifford Thomas

company that people
may not know.
In addition to Culinary
design, we offer
infection control site
surveys, interior design,
branding, and smallwares
implementation. Our
branding department
has seen tremendous
growth as there are still
senior living communities
with generic "café" or
"bistro" signs hanging

through the built environment
by intentional design of
program elements such as
pedestrian connections,
'front door' visibility and
vibrant amenity spaces with
cross-generation appeal.
The pandemic has caused
many sponsors to reevaluate
intergenerational 'open-door'
planning, but the current
environment of isolation has
emphasized the need for
community connections more
than ever. Programming,
master planning and building
design that both celebrate
and transcend age are key
to sustainable senior living
communities and their towns
and cities.
www.rlps.com

outside their venues.
Brand development that
includes coordinated
uniforms, packaging
and menu design
infuses excitement
and personality. This
is key when providing
seniors that special
brand experience to their
everyday food service
experiences. Crossing
the project finish line with
these services allows for
successful completion
of the community's longterm vision of providing
seniors a sense of
community and choice
in how, when, and where
they dine.
www.scoposhospitality
group.com
http://www.rlps.com http://www.rlps.com http://www.scoposhospitalitygroup.com http://www.scoposhospitalitygroup.com http://www.scoposhospitalitygroup.com
Environments for Aging - Fall 2020

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