Designing for change: how future-proof facilities safeguard independence in specialist care
At coombes:everitt, we support specialist care providers by designing facilities with the future firmly in mind. Our work with the sector has shown that the most successful environments are those that can adapt, not just to meet current needs, but to meet needs as they evolve over time. Our Director, John Everitt, explains how
Having worked in the sector since 2010, we’ve seen how specialist care delivery is deeply individual. We’ve also seen how rapidly care environments are having to adapt to an ever-evolving sector. Cohorts are changing, life expectancy has increased and assistive technologies are advancing. Providers are, as a result, having to build flexibility into their care provision to adapt to these shifts. This is where our team can help.
Our knowledge and understanding of the sector enables us to support our clients to deliver flexible design solutions that
can adapt to changing needs in a dignified, person-centred way, with minimal disruption. Our holistic approach ensures
we consider all aspects of design implications – whether they be structural, how spaces function or their long-term
financial stability.
FUTUREPROOFING INFRASTRUCTURE
Designing adaptability into the building fabric from the outset is always more cost-effective than retrofitting later. Our approach ensures that infrastructure can be adapted to accommodate changing needs without costly alterations.
We work collaboratively with key stakeholders to consider potential future care requirements and ensure our design solutions reflect these needs. This might include pathways and fused spurs that can be used for future power supplies to support adaptive equipment and assistive technologies such as hoists and actuated windows, doors and curtains or additional wireways that ensure a standard WC can be later updated to a Closomat WC.
From a structural point of view, we ensure load-bearing walls or ceiling supports are suitable for the future installation of specialist equipment.
These practical details ensure a building can support changing care models as technology (and need) advances, all without major disruption.
DESIGNING FLEXIBLE PLACES THAT CAN EVOLVE
Flexibility in how spaces can adjust is equally important. Care environments must be able to adapt to changing resident profiles and evolving care delivery. For example, in specialist education colleges, we have designed day student provision that can be repurposed as residential accommodation if needed, without costly structural changes.
Thoughtful design in educational provision also ensures learning environments can adapt to support specific needs. At the Kite Centre in Hereford, we incorporated sliding partitions that allow classrooms to expand for group activities or close off to create smaller, quieter teaching spaces. For another client, we created a suite of multi-use ancillary rooms located near the teaching areas, that could function as therapy spaces, breakout zones or one-to-one support rooms. This all helps to improve continuity of learning across different cohort needs.
In private long-term living settings, we consider how spaces can evolve to meet future care needs. Wider doorways for future wheelchair access, level thresholds, and provision to adapt for live-in carer accommodation ensure that residents can continue living in the comfort of familiar surroundings for as long as possible.
FOCUSING ON FINANCIAL STABILITY
Futureproofing also makes sound financial sense. And not just in terms of minimising disruption when it comes to altering how spaces function and support care delivery. Buildings that are well insulated and designed with sustainability in mind reduce running costs long term. Many of our projects integrate renewable technologies such as solar PV panels, battery storage, air-source heat pumps and green roofs, all helping providers manage energy consumption and operational costs more effectively.
We also work with clients to plan staged funding, enabling investment only when it’s needed, and to avoid reactive,
short-term alterations.
And in private homes, multi-resident community living offers a viable model for both improved quality of life and shared operational efficiencies, helping to balance affordability with independence.
PLANNING AHEAD TO PROTECT INDEPENDENCE
Futureproofing buildings is ultimately about safeguarding independence. By designing facilities that can evolve with residents’ needs - from the building infrastructure to the way spaces are used - we help care providers deliver long-term value, comfort and autonomy.
Talk to our team today about ways we can help you deliver specialist care that meets the needs of your residents, now and in the future.