Design for Well-Being in Care Homes for the Elderly

Current guidelines in the U.K. and Finland for the design and layout of care homes for the elderly specify factors such as space, safety, privacy and cleanliness, but do not concentrate on promoting well-being. This paper draws on discussions with focus groups of various users in Finland and ideas from positive psychology to propose ways of improving the quality of life of both staff and residents in care homes, considering both physical design and the design of carer’s roles and responsibilities.