Supportive Living Resident Suite Evaluation: Using Simulation to Evaluate a Mock-up

To address the growing population of seniors, Alberta Health Services plans to provide 11,700 supportive living resident suites over the next decade. Before finalizing the design standards and guidelines for these facilities, a mock-up residential suite was constructed, outfitted with all necessary furnishings and equipment, and used to evaluate the proposed design. Evaluation of the physical space and accessibility for residents' and clinical tasks were accomplished using simulation, think aloud protocols and extensive debriefing sessions. Scenarios were created that focused on commonly-occurring tasks identified by frontline staff as being problematic for both residents and staff. These scenarios were then carried out by seniors and a variety of healthcare professionals to simulate expected room usage. Evaluation of the scenarios indicated that sufficient space was available in the design; however, areas prone to congestion were also identified. Recommendations to improve the design of the residential s...