From special gatherings to heart-to-heart chats, common areas are the social hub of your Senior Living community. Here are three common area trends that will make an impression:

1. Cleanability

Your residents, their families and your staff want peace of mind that everyone is doing what they can to keep each other safe. Support safety initiatives throughout your building by including furniture in common spaces that is easy-to-clean. 

Chairs with removable seat decking, like the Kellex Everhart Lounge Chair, maximize cleanability and support a long lifespan for the furniture. All of our collections come standard with moisture-barrier seat decking, which resists moisture and spills.

Add furniture selections to your common spaces that are made with easy-to-clean materials like vinyls, crypton fabrics and hard surface arms. We partner with fabric manufacturers that keep the cleaning demands of senior housing and Healthcare top of mind, and our wide selection of on-trend fabrics is designed to resist stains and clean up easily. 

2. Create Flexible Rooms

Consider flexible amenities that provide beautiful spaces. You can add dividers that help create intimacy and offer residents a variety of desirable experiences within the same room. Within larger common areas, creating small vignettes – divided by decorative screens – can create cozy spots for visiting with family and friends. Adding a creative divider like a credenza or drapery is also an innovative way to promote infection prevention and keep residents, staff and visitors safe.

Common Area with Divider Curtains

In a multi-purpose room or game room, trendy barn doors or pocket doors can divide the area for functionality. Open the doors for an extended flex space to accommodate a larger group, or shut them to accommodate a more intimate group in only the main space.

Delaney Bridgewater game room with barn doors

3. Incorporating Technology

Make a great first impression with elevated design and be ready for the future with the latest technology. Adding tech-infused pieces in common spaces will impress families and meet the demand of the Baby Boomer generation.

Residents and guests expect to easily use personal electronics in your building. Furnishings with built-in USB ports in your living spaces allow residents to easily charge their portable devices.

Ensure safety and engagement for all of your residents with built-in phone charging and sanitizing technology. Your residents can comfortably relax in community living rooms while promoting infection prevention in the Fairfield Paterson Swivel Glider. The built-in charging unit for iPhone and Android utilizes ultraviolet disinfection technology.

Motion seating is elevated with dual motors. Not only will the seat recline automatically in the Glen Ellyn Power Recliner, but the footrest and backrest move independently. The easy-to-use reclining mechanism boosts resident relaxation. Your residents will love the independence it provides and the exposed wood arms and on-trend design make it a beautiful and functional addition to any common room. 

Throughout your common rooms, ensure residents and guests stay connected with reliable Wi-Fi. Ensure safe air quality with Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization technology that inactivates 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2 in 30 minutes.* Our designers can help you incorporate these technology solutions and more that will reduce manual oversight and serve your residnets well. 

*Inactivation results based on sensitivity testing conducted by an independent third-party testing laboratory using control chambers. Multiple data points are used to formulate performance validation statements. The technology is used in a wide range of applications across diverse environmental conditions. Results in non-lab environments will vary; clients should evaluate their individual application and environmental conditions when making an assessment regarding the technology’s potential benefits. For all independent laboratory results, contact your TELS Representative at IndoorAirQuality@Directs.com. The use of this technology is not intended to take the place of reasonable precautions to prevent the transmission of pathogens (including COVID-19). Comply with all applicable public health laws and guidelines as well as CDC guidance (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html).

The Bottom Line: 3 Senior Living Common Area Trends

Eye-catching design mixed with cutting edge, innovative materials and technology is sure to encourage engagement in safer common areas. Our design experts offer complimentary consultations to help you get started. Contact us today to start refreshing your common areas.

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