Older nursing home institutions where designed to have a high occupancy. Back then, design standards allowed quadrupled occupancy rooms. Now a days, most design standards allow double occupancy per room. How should the size of a nursing home matter ?
According to The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, 42% of U.S. Covid-19 deaths occur in a nursing home. The pandemic has now showed us that neither the older nor current design standard are working out. Running a crowded nursing home institution, with high occupancy rates, enclosed shared spaces and congregate living makes it hard to social distance causing more outbreaks.
The new normal is a reality that must be taken in consideration when choosing a residence for senior living, so how should the size of a nursing home does matter. Ample spaces and spaces to create your own private space is especially important for all the right reasons. While the human interaction and community engagement is also important for the senior well being, large institutions lack the private space.