143 Nursing home care in Ireland and the built environment: key emerging issues and insights

Abstract

Abstract Background Nursing homes for older people were badly affected by COVID-19 resulting in serious impacts on residents, staff, and family members. Like other airborne infectious diseases, COVID-19 has implications for spatial practices and the built environment. Although limited research has identified certain built environment issues which impact Infection Control (IC), these issues also have a negative impact on resident quality of life. Based on the paradigm shift created by COVID-19, we explored aspects of the built environment and emerging issues within nursing homes in Ireland with key representatives/experts from different aspects of nursing home provision, policy, and IC. Methods 20 interviews were conducted with various experts, followed by a thematic analysis to analyse, and generate key themes arising from the interviews. Results Some of the key emerging issues from the interviews included designing for infection control and future pandemic resilience, climate change and its impacts on older people, innovative care models, and nursing home integration with the community. Conclusion This research demonstrates the growing awareness of the built environment as a critical partner in the nursing home health and social care model and illustrates the need for a holistic design approach across all key spatial scales to support the health/wellbeing of older people in nursing homes.