Interior Design Student Project Aids Alzheimer's Care Center

ASHEBORO (August 24, 2009)

Participating in the redesign project for Cross Road Retirement Community were (from left) Miriam Andrade, Michelle Pace, April Lewis, Betty Kelly, Kara Cox, Katie Butler (not pictured), and Holly Barker, Interior Design program head and instructor.

Six Randolph Community College Interior Design students gained some real world experience this summer working on design plans for the community areas of the Alzheimer's Care Center at Cross Road Retirement Community in Asheboro. The students presented their designs to members of Cross Road's board of directors and staff recently.

The students were asked to redesign the interior structure based on business flow, circulation patterns, and changing needs of the staff and their residents while keeping in mind ADA requirements, code, and health and safety requirements, according to Holly Barker, program head and instructor for Interior Design at RCC. In addition, they wrote construction documentation including demolition plans, finishes plans, furnishings plans, and elevations demonstrating the changes.

Barker said the students, members of the Commercial/Contract Design II class, completed space planning as a group, but worked on individual ideas for furniture, finishes and equipment. The students were also asked to research specific physiological and psychological needs of Alzheimer's patients and make their selections based on those needs. "It is proven that color, texture, pattern, light, and other design elements positively impact the psychological and physiological effects of Alzheimer's Disease. It is our responsibility, as interior designers, to use this knowledge to stimulate environments, thus improving the quality and quantity of years lived," said Barker.

The students were asked to create plans to make the interior feel more residential and to bring the outdoors inside by creating communities. Structural modifications recommended by the group included taking down several walls and using knee walls to open up the space and create better lines of sight.

The students then presented their individual ideas on furnishings, finishes and equipment. Student Miriam Andrade outlined her idea of "a walking park" utilizing a picket fence, light posts and benches along the knee walls separating the nursing station and dining and activity rooms. "In talking to the residents, I learned that they liked being outside and being able to see people walking by," said Andrade.

Student April Lewis' concept was to create a space that was "functional for both the nurses and the residents." She said she utilized a warm color palette with reds, burgandy, golden yellow, and greens in a traditional style to create the feel of a residence. The nurses' station in her plans included decorative chandelier lighting, lots of storage, and an inset countertop for wheelchair bound residents.

Noting that Alzheimer's patients need landmarks, student Michelle Pace proposed using a large aquarium between the entrance and the sunroom. She added a mural of a field of flowers to make it a "nature room." Pace also created a "music room" theme for the Adult Day Care Center, adding a piano, jukebox and organ.

Lia Eggleston, director of development for Cross Road Retirement Community, said they were privileged to have RCC's Interior Design students focus on the Alzheimer's Care Center. "The solutions that were presented were well thought out and fit not only our desire to provide residents with the best comfort and quality, but they offered cost efficient solutions that could be implemented in house or with volunteers," she said. "This group of talented designers took the time to understand the needs of seniors with Alzheimer's as well as study the trends of senior living. We all loved the idea of 'bringing the outside in,' which was a major theme for the Alzheimer's Center new look." She continued, "I look forward to seeing Cross Road Retirement Community implement the uplifting colors, the creative design elements, the functional – as well as fun – floor designs that were shown to us."

Harold McManus, executive director of Cross Road, said, "We were blessed to have the RCC students accept us as their project. I was amazed how thorough and organized each of the students were. We look forward to applying some of their ideas in our refurbished Alzheimer's Care Center."

Students participating in the project were Miriam Andrade of Asheboro, Katie Butler of Greensboro, Kara Cox of Greensboro, Betty Kelly of West End, April Lewis of Lexington, and Michelle Pace of Albemarle.

Cross Road Retirement Community is Randolph County's only nonprofit assisted living and retirement community. They have been providing services to nearly 1,000 individuals since 1984.

For more information on RCC's Interior Design program, call 336-633-0200 or e-mail Holly Barker at hdbarker@randolph.edu.