By Justin Cockinos
As the health providers roll out vaccinations and the Australian Government begin to ease restrictions on non-essential activities and venues across the state, the post covid world is beginning to materialise creating a shift in expectations and possibly regulations across the construction industry.
Construction companies and project teams in Australia have adapted quickly to implement at a minimum, the base level guidelines as advised by Government agencies such as Worksafe Australia (Refer to Building and Construction: Minimising the risk from Covid-19)
A significant number of the Tier 1 and 2 Construction companies have further utilised their highly trained in house WHS managers and site personnel to identify the specific site requirements through diligent site-based risk assessments and practical site-based solutions. (Refer to Social distancing stencils at practice at 6&8 Parramatta Square in NSW and Built. Management Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) for Covid site response examples)
After an initial drop in site numbers during the first Covid wave in March 2020, the industry seen a steady increase in site numbers and a rising confidence in the success of the procedures implemented.
The aged care industry faces particular challenges in the post Covid era and will be among the last to fully resume to the normal operations with uncertainty of future waves and impacts the infectious disease will have on a vaccinated population. As providers move from an initial crisis response, focus is now towards determining the ‘new normal’ aiming to develop and implement increased infection control measures and risk management principles while providing solutions to maintain social interactions for resident mental wellbeing.
With an understanding that the feeling of isolation is already a challenge for senior living that drives the design for community-focused facilities, a ‘no-visiting’ policy may protect residents and mitigate risk during a pandemic outbreak but may also come at a cost for seniors that can no longer engage with peers and family who rely heavily on socialisation to keep staff, resident, and communities vibrant.
Structuring of resident communities will force designers to consider how access can be managed in a way that minimises cross movement, limiting unnecessary congregation by providing clear designated paths of travel for more directional wayfinding, and provide the capability for community spaces in effect to be locked down into smaller sections so that resident and staff movements are minimised.
Future Aged Care designs will need to architecturally evolve their operation models and response strategies to ensure they can adapt to the current and future conditions. The aim will be to develop and implement infection control principles while offering design solutions that allow residents and staff to maintain social interaction and models of care.
Concerns regarding the high infection risk of large traditional design aged care facilities will increase the demand for alternative designs such as the clustered domestic home model of residential aged care which typically aims to de-institutionalise seniors living by offering residents access to a domestic kitchen, dining and living in their own home with individual bedrooms providing a sense of normality while being operationally manageable when required.
Contained breakout areas for engagement small groups allows social distancing to be accommodated without the issue of complete isolation in the limited available area the residents can occupy. The clustered model also enables the facility to control and maintain a more manageable environment between staff during a pandemic to ensure the health of workers is maintained by separating ‘households’ where residents can live, socialise and dine together into smaller groups which can easily be cordoned off in the event of a future epidemic or pandemic allowing groups to be isolated from other residents and staff interactions while receiving the same level of care without bringing the entire community to a halt.
Post Covid facilities may be required to become more inventive to provide solutions to safely maximise interaction during a quarantine situation. A possible solution may be the introduction of a dedicated controlled admission suite as a small house model with permanent staff allowing the acceptance of new residents by serving a quarantine period to ensure health safety of existing residents.
Other opportunities for service improvement and business sustainability that has come as a consequential response from the pandemic has been the development of specific design principles that are targeted to control the spread of viruses to other residents. (Refer to Thomas Addset, Evolving Design In Seniors Living for Evolving Design in Seniors Living)
Cleaning Regimes and infection control is already a high priority in the health and aged care sector seeing the post Covid era adopting additional specific hygiene procedures such as strategically located sanitation stations, installing touchless entry doors where possible to reduce surface transmissions, lift programming and separate entry points to prevent residents or visitors from accessing floors to minimise cross infection and improved building services design or plant to increased fresh air intake and air filtration in mechanically ventilated environments to reduce risk of airborne transitions.
The rapid introduction of telehealth consultations and a use of devices such as iPads to overcome social distancing constraints are just two examples of the extent technology will become the centre of aged care response to Covid. While the technology is not new, it took this pandemic to gain traction. The ‘new normal’ and the future application of technology in the post Covid world will extend beyond touchless surfaces for doors, toilets, showers and even lifts. The use of screening and declaration tools, pre-booking of appointments and ongoing communication and education for families is becoming more imperative to create a safe and sustainable living environment for residents while providing social interactions with video calling not only to families outside the village but to other residents during a lockdown situation.
Increased use of virtual meeting platforms has been warmly welcomed by families and assisted in addressing the risk of social isolation for residents. While well received, the increased use of technology has required upskilling for some staff, families, and residents in a short timeframe. This virtual health and wellbeing through digital tools will now be a core element of connecting residents, families, staff and healthcare professionals.
The aged care industry will need to consider the final recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety with only successful providers being agile and responsive to better support residents and staff while simultaneously adjusting operating models and response strategies.
Covid has had a significate impact on Australia’s older demographic living in aged care facilities, particularly regarding loneliness and problems associated with infection control. Final reports from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety found that Australia’s current aged care system was characterised by an absence of innovation which took the global pandemic to provide greater awareness on how to provide better living for retirement aged care residents.
Aged Care Facilities in a post Covid world will be required to respond quickly to changing environments as more of our population ages, buildings will need to accommodate new patterns of tenancy and apply these key changes to ensure that the lessons are learned and processes are put place.
References:
Anchor Excellence 2021, accessed 28 September 2021, https://anchorexcellence.com/9-aged-care-design-opportunities-in-a-post-covid-19-era/
Safe Work Australia, accessed 28 September 2021, www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
Thomson Adsett, accessed 28 September 2021, https://thomsonadsett.com/evolving-design-will-be-vital-in-future-proofing-aged-care-facilities-post-covid-19/
Australian Design Review, accessed 28 September 2021, https://www.australiandesignreview.com/architecture/how-covid-19-will-change-aged-care-design/
Document issued to subcontractors as Covid guild line on Built sites.
Built Management Response to COVID-19, April 2020
Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, accessed 28 September 2021, https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report
ABC News, accessed 28 September 2021, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-21/victoria-coronavirus-aged-care-report-contains-damning-findings/12996532
PWC Australia, accessed 29 September 2021, https://www.pwc.com.au/health/health-matters/aged-care-beyond-covid-19.html