Architecture of Person-Centered Psychiatric Geriatric Hospitals

Abstract

There is a gap in the literature on the architectural design of Psychiatric Geriatric Care (PGC) centers and their impact on patients’ wellbeing and recovery. The objectives of this study are to explore the role of the built environment on staff’s work satisfaction, geriatric psychiatric patients’ wellbeing, and assess the importance of treating mental and physical illness of older adults in the same clinical setting. Data were obtained from behavior observation/mapping of existing spaces and interviews with staff and patients. Interview data were analyzed, coded, and juxtaposed with themes from behavior observation/mapping. This study identified specific architectural conditions of autonomy, atmosphere, boundary, and safety for patients and visibility, accessibility, and rejuvenation for staff. The findings of this study resulted in creating a replicable design model and architectural base for future PGC centers that include a psychiatric geriatric unit and a medical unit. This provides an opportunity for patients to be involved in their own recovery and receive complete mental and physical care at the same hospital. Additionally, this design model offers the possibility of separating and closing one hospital wing in case of emergencies or a pandemic such as COVID19.

Keywords:

• Aging
• architecture
• evidence based design
• hospital
• mental health
• older adults

Acknowledgements

Architecture students involved in development of the initial design model: Katia Barrios and Joe Austin Valdez. Architecture student involved in data collection: Christian A. Garcia.

Ethical approval

University of Texas at San Antonio, approval number: ref.18-209.

Disclosure statement

There are no relevant financial or non-financial competing interests to report.

Additional information

Funding

The Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio supported this work under Grant number [100000180]. Co PI: Dr. Sedef Doganer. The subaward was awarded by The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSCSA).