Abstract
Objectives
In what way the physical environment of nursing homes (NHs) influences the health
and well-being of nursing residents is not well codified. The authors aimed to review
scientifically based knowledge on this topic.
Design
A systematic scoping review of research into the effect that physical environment
in nursing homes has on residents' health.
Setting and Participants
Search for relevant English-language articles in PubMed and the Cochrane database
before April 15, 2022. Article selection and data extraction were performed by 2 researchers.
Studies were included if conducted on nursing home residents and if they examined
associations between components of the physical environment and health outcomes.
Measures
The review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA statement.
Results
Of 1347 articles retrieved, 59 met the inclusion criteria—40 observational, 1 survey,
and 18 interventional studies, of which 5 were randomized controlled trials. Certain
environmental features repeatedly show significant positive effect on resident's health,
such as noise reduction, tuning of lighting, natural light, easy access to garden,
dining environment, and resident-centered interior renovation. Nursing home size was
not found to have a direct relationship to resident health and well-being, although
it is related to more than only the physical environment (eg, social environment).
Conclusions and Implications
This review provides guidance in selective areas of the physical environment for the
design of nursing homes, with potential benefits for the health and well-being of
residents.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 01, 2022
Footnotes
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
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https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/download/4zbap7/JOTG-2022-11-30.mp3
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