Researchers are seeking 40-60 nursing homes to help examine how physical design affects resident health, well-being, and care delivery.
Nursing home environments profoundly shape residents’ daily experiences, including how safely they move, how connected they feel, and how care is delivered. Unfortunately, nursing homes have largely been excluded from large-scale, rigorous studies examining the relationship between the built environment and well-being.
Until now.
Researchers are inviting 40-60 nursing homes to participate in a national study examining how the physical design of nursing homes influences resident health outcomes. The study will use a novel approach to understanding nursing home buildings by combining existing floor plan and clinical data. Nursing homes participating in the study will receive an individualized design review and recommendations.
The Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation is funding the multi-institution study, which will be led by Dr. Diana Anderson, a healthcare architect, internist, and geriatrician at Boston University School of Medicine. The LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston is part of the team and will disseminate the research findings when the study is complete.
The Connection Between Architecture and Health
The new study is based on the premise that architectural characteristics are associated with and likely affect a variety of outcomes.
“Growing evidence shows that architectural features—such as layout, lighting, and access to shared and outdoor spaces—function much like care interventions, shaping residents’ mobility, safety, behavior, and quality of life,” says Anderson. “Yet these effects are rarely measured systematically in nursing homes, despite their relevance to daily practice and long-term outcomes.”
Over the next two years, Anderson’s team will work with nursing home leaders to analyze how design features are associated with resident outcomes. The results will help shape future standards for person-centered, health-promoting care environments.
“The goal is to generate evidence that helps nursing home leaders, designers, and policymakers better understand how residents’ environments can support residents’ well-being and staff work,” says Anderson.
How Nursing Homes Can Participate in the Study
Nursing home leaders who join the study will share their building floor plans and participate in a brief phone interview (30-60 minutes) to describe how they use their physical spaces in daily practice. The study will generate evidence to help nursing homes, designers, and others better understand how environments support the well-being of residents and staff.
Things to know about the study:
- The study is led by Anderson and an interdisciplinary team with expertise in the intersection of design and health, including researchers at Brown University’s Long-Term Care Quality & Innovation Lab.
- Participation will be confidential. All information related to each nursing home will be anonymized, with identifying details removed.
- No resident-level data will be requested from participating nursing homes. All outcome data will be drawn from existing national datasets.
- The project will add to what is known about how design relates to nursing home resident outcomes. It is not an audit, inspection, or performance evaluation.
- Participating nursing homes will not be ranked or compared publicly.
Nursing homes participating in the study will:
- Contribute to evidence that may shape future design guidance and policy.
- Help ensure that real-world operational realities inform understanding of design and health.
- Join a national effort to focus design decisions on resident well-being, dignity, and safety.
- Receive an individualized design review and recommendations.
Interested in Learning More?
Researchers would be happy to schedule a brief informational call with nursing homes interested in participating in this study.
“We know that the built environment is an active component of care,” says Anderson. “But we need your help to understand better how it relates to outcomes. Your participation will help generate evidence that reflects real operational contexts. The findings will support better-informed renovation, design, and capital planning decisions across the sector. Participating organizations will help ensure that future design guidance reflects the realities of nursing home practice.”
To learn more about participating, contact Diana Anderson.