photo credit: Canva
Canada’s only Architect Environmental Gerontologist, Robert Wrublowsky, lives in Winnipeg and has a deep well of knowledge and expertise on designing long term care (LTC) facilities that uphold the dignity and agency of residents. He’s passionate about creating home-like environments that enhance quality of life for all those making a move into LTC and has begun consulting with Actionmarguerite.
“There are well known domains of wellness that really should be considered when designing long-term care,” explains Wrublowsky. “Identity, growth, autonomy, connectedness, joy, meaning and safety and security are the big ones. And there are ways to design spaces that create operational models that bring those domains to the forefront.”
As an Architect Environmental Gerontologist, Wrublowsky can design or redesign facilities but also does significant research in the field. He understands what is happening in LTC globally and has had a hand in helping evolve facilities in Alberta who operate under Covenant Health. “People are realizing that a personal care home was designed as an institution operationally and architecturally, so it functions as an institution, not a home,” he explains. “There are more and more leaders questioning that model. People are saying that if residents are not sick, they don’t belong in hospital environments. People are starting to ask how things can change, and creating design standards for LTC would be a great place to start.”
Wrublowsky worked with 12 personal care homes in Alberta to assess their current facilities and make recommendations as to how to create more welcoming, resident-centred environments. “They asked two important and realistic questions,” he shares. “What can we do that’s simple and will make change? What can we do that’s more complicated but will make a bigger impact?”
Wrublowsky was happy to provide recommendations in both categories. From simple wayfinding and signage and lighting changes, all the way up to completely remodeling a unit to create a communal kitchen and private living spaces. “There is so much research that correlates agitation and aggression to larger group settings,” he says. “You have to accept the fact that if you’re serious about quality of life, we have to reduce population sizes. Currently, many residents in LTC are three or four to a single room and sharing a bathroom that was never designed for wheelchair access. We desperately need a program to redevelop current spaces to give private spaces to residents.”
While the architect is happy to see local organizations like Actionmarguerite get curious about how to improve quality of life, he recognizes there are many obstacles ahead. “It always surprises me that people don’t want to talk about LTC,” Wrublowsky admits. “We are almost all bound for LTC facilities, and Manitoba is in a phase of planning for the future of personal care homes. We need a better understanding of how to implement changes, what that means to staffing and funding, and most of all, we need governments who are willing to recognize the problem. There are solutions that would create better environments for residents, but we need to be planning for those solutions right now.”
Wrublowsky and his colleagues have access to many tools to help assess facilities and to simplify the process of making changes, but he knows real change will only come with dedicated government effort. “The average age of LTC buildings in Canada is 60 years, and their life span was only ever 40,” he concludes. “If we’re going to redesign these facilities, or create new ones, a direct understanding of the nuances on how spaces can help someone stay socially engaged would only make sense. We are all striving for a higher quality of life for anyone who is moving into a personal care home.”
To learn more about the methods used by Robert Wrublowsky, please follow him on LinkedIn.