Classification of Homes
Residential facilities are provided for aged people who, for personal, social, health or other reasons, can no longer live alone or with their families. According to the level of care and assistance required by the residents and the type prescribed for the purpose of Section 8(4)(c) of the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance, a residential care home for the elderly may be classified as :
(a) a care-and-attention home; or
(b) an aged home; or
(c) a self-care hostel.
Definition of Types of Homes
Under Section 3 of the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Regulation:
(a) A ‘care-and-attention home’ means an establishment providing residential care, supervision and guidance for persons who have attained the age of 60 years and who are generally weak in health and are suffering from a functional disability to the extent that they require personal care and attention in the course of daily living activities but do not require a high degree of professional medical or nursing care.
(b) An ‘aged home’ means an establishment providing residential care, supervision and guidance for persons who have attained the age of 60 years and who are capable of observing personal hygiene but have a degree of difficulty in performing household duties related to cleaning, cooking, laundering, shopping and other domestic tasks.
(c) A ‘self-care hostel’ means an establishment providing residential care, supervision and guidance for persons who have attained the age of 60 years and who are capable of observing personal hygiene and performing household duties related to cleaning, cooking, laundering, shopping and other domestic tasks.
Classification of Mixed Homes
Some residential care homes for the elderly provide more than one class of care for their residents. For example, some aged homes are established with care-and-attention units. Likewise, some aged homes also provide self-care hostel places.
In classifying a mixed home (namely, homes with care-and-attention cum aged home places, homes with care-and-attention cum self-care places, homes with aged home cum self-care places, homes with care-and-attention cum aged home cum self-care places), the “majority rule” will apply. For example, a home with care-and-attention cum aged home places with over 50% of its residents being in need of care-and-attention care is classified as a care-and attention home. In case of equal distribution of places in the two sections, e.g. 50% care-and-attention places and 50% aged home places, the home will be classified as the one that requires a higher level of care (i.e. a care-and attention home in this case). This is to ensure that the well-being of the residents are protected.
In a home with three types of care (namely, care-and-attention care, aged home care and hostel care), a modified majority rule will apply. Such a home will only be classified as either a care-and-attention home or aged home, it would not be appropriate to classify such a home as a self-care hostel, irrespective of the number of self-care places. This is to ensure that elderly residents receive a proper level of care. In classifying such a home, the number of aged home places in the home will first be added to the number of self-care places. This total will then be compared with the number of care and- attention places. The home will be classified as either a care-and attention home or an aged home according to the majority rule.
The principle of universal design aims to create a built environment that is accessible for as much of the population as possible, and for as much of their lives as possible. It is partially rooted in design for handicapped individuals; one of the grandfathers of universal design, Selwyn Goldsmith, was the first to create a dropped curb for wheelchairs.
However, universal design principles also support those who would like to age in place. Universally designed multi-generational house plans are gaining popularity because today’s long life expectancy means more of us will be around longer, and we often have living parents even when we are old ourselves.
Rather than designing a home for different stages in your life, such as drafting house plans for seniors separately from house plans for young couples, today’s designers attempt to accommodate all stages and possible changes in lifestyle in the same design. With this approach, “retirement house plans ” may also be perfect for younger generations and can prevent you from having to move home later on. A few thoughtful features throughout the home create universal access for all individuals.
Those who select multi-generational house plans enjoy a few additional benefits. First, if you have a universally designed home, the functional spaces of the house are able to adapt with your changing lifestyle, so you can stay in your home longer. (Few among us actually look forward to the prospect of entering a live-in nursing facility.) Moreover, multi-generational home designs fetch an increased price on the housing market because more and more people want their homes to incorporate space for extended family, which may not be available in universal retirement house plans. Universal design is also universally appealing, it seems. The icing on the cake is that multi-generational house plans are also eco-friendly, since their design will be relevant for longer, meaning there will be less need for remodeling, or moving.
If you’d like your house plans to double as house plans for seniors, consider the following list of age-in-place design elements.
