Visitation Patterns in Assisted Living Environments

Research

A study published in the Journal of Housing for the Elderly examined in some detail the visitation patterns in assisted living environments and the perceptions of residents on the impact have on their well-being. Such visits are both common and critical to the well-being of residents, with 90% of those responding to survey rating the ability to receive visitors as either ‘important’ or ‘very important’. Fortunately, 80% of respondents received visits at least occasionally, with most receiving visits on a weekly basis or more.

While the decisions about when and how to allow visitors is more of an operational issue, the research into the activities performed during visits provide us implications for the design and layout of facilities serving these patients. Visitations are “overwhelmingly centered on quiet sitting activities”, with the most common tasks included below (based on percentage of patients responding):

• 47% – Sitting/playing games together
• 20% – Taking care of affairs/family business
• 14% – Visiting with grandchildren or great grandchildren
• 10% – Reminiscing/looking at photo albums
• 2% – Watching TV or talking about current events

Implications

If single occupancy rooms are provided for the residents, all that may be required is a small seating area and table within the room to provide a suitable area for all of the activities listed above.   Some form of task lighting should be located in this area to ensure that any documents being reviewed as part of the ‘taking care of affairs/family business’ activity or games played can be read by an elderly population with diminishing eyesight.

Hotel business centers may provide a good model for a private "affairs/family business" meeting area in assisted living facilities.

Many facilities feature multi-occupant rooms, and it would be wise to consider individual meeting areas that can be reserved or used on an impromptu basis.  Many facilities include group meeting spaces, but fewer have areas that allow for visual and acoustical privacy.  At least one should be equipped a computer connected to the internet, a printer, and a telephone with teleconference capabilities to support any external business activities that may be required for the resident who may or may not be able to leave the facility for certain appointments.

Citation

Thompson, D., Weber, J., & Juozapavicius, K. (2001). Chapter 2 Residents in Assisted Living Facilities and Visitation Patterns. Journal of Housing For the Elderly, 15 (1), 31-42 DOI: 10.1300/J081v15n01_03