Editing Retirement home (section)

=== Architectural cues ===
Another relevant method of wayfinding is the presence of architectural cues within North American senior retirement homes. This method is most often considered during the design of new senior care centers, however there are still multiple items that can easily be implemented within existing care homes as well. Architectural cues can impact residents by communicating purpose through the implied use of a setting or object, assisting in navigation without the need for cognitive mapping, and making areas more accessible and less distressing for those with decreased mobility.

We will investigate how architectural cues communicate purpose and influence the behavior of residents.  In a case study by Passini,“a patient, seeing a doorbell (for night use) at the hospital, immediately decided to ring”.<ref name=":1" /> This led to the conclusion that “architectural elements … determine to a certain extent the behavior of less independent patients.”<ref name=":1" /> In considering the influence of architectural cues on residents, this becomes an important observation, as it suggests that positive behavior can be encouraged through the use of careful planning of rooms. This claim is further supported in a case study by Day, in which “frequency of toilet use increased dramatically when toilets were visibly accessible to residents.”<ref name=":0" /> Having toilets placed within the sight lines of the residents encourages behavior of more frequently visiting the washroom, lessening the burden on nursing staff as well as leading to increased health of the residents. This communication of purpose though learned behavior can translate into creating more legible interior design as well. Through the use of distinctive furniture and flooring such as a bookshelf in a communal living room, the functionality and differentiation of spaces can become much easier for residents to navigate. Improving environmental legibility can also be useful in assisting with navigation within a care home.

Assistance in navigation through reducing a need for complicated cognitive mapping is an asset that can be achieved in multiple ways within care centers. Visual landmarks existing in both architectural and interior design helps provide differentiation between spaces. Burton notes “residents reported that...landmarks (features such as clocks and plants at key sections of corridors)[were useful in wayfinding]"<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Burton |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Sheehan |first2=Bart |title=Care-Home Environments and Well-Being: Identifying the Design Features That Most Affect Older Residents |date=2010 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43030908 |journal=Journal of Architectural and Planning Research |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=237–256 |jstor=43030908 |issn=0738-0895}}</ref> Navigating using distinct landmarks can also define individual resident rooms. Tetsuya suggests that “doors of residents' rooms should have differentiated characteristics”<ref name=":2" /> in order to help in differentiating their own personal rooms. This can be done through the use of personal objects placed on or beside doorways, or in providing distinctive doors for each room.

Finally, considering accessibility is integral in designing architecture within care homes. Many members of the senior community require the use of equipment and [[mobility aid]]s. As such, requirements of these items must be considered in designing a senior specific space. Open and clear routes of travel benefit the user by clearly directing residents along the path and reducing difficulty caused by the use of mobility aids.<ref name=":3" /> Similarly, creating shorter routes of travel by moving fundamental facilities such as the dining room closer to patient rooms has also been shown to reduce anxiety and distress.<ref name=":0" /> Moving between spaces becomes simpler, avoiding high stimulation areas such as elevators while also assisting wayfinding by making a simpler, smaller layout. Each of these methods can be achieved through the use of open core spaces. These spaces integrate multiple rooms into a single open concept space, "giving visual access and allowing a certain understanding of space without having to integrate into an ensemble that is perceived in parts, which is the most difficult aspect of cognitive mapping".<ref name=":1" /> In integrating more open core spaces into North American senior facilities, spaces become more accessible and easier to navigate.