As our nation's

seniors make housing decisions for their retirement years, there are some

factors to consider that create a comfortable, safe environment, whether

living at home or selecting a senior living facility. Including carpet

in the design of housing for this group provides benefits in mobility,

vision, hearing and safety. Let's take a look at factors to consider.

Mobility

Safety is a

top consideration for seniors who seek a stable, non-slick walking surface

that protects them from accidents. Carpet allows easy ambulation, which

is important because of muscular changes that affect gait. Because some

older people tend to shuffle as they walk, low pile carpet and proper

installation can prevent falls. A study of 225 incidents in a long-term

health care facility showed that of the group who fell on carpeted areas,

only 17 percent sustained injuries, while in the group who fell on vinyl,

46 percent sustained injuries. Low pile carpet installed on a firm cushion

or glued to the floor provides both ease of walking and ease of wheelchair

travel.

Approximately

30 percent of persons over age 65 who are independent and living on their

own fall each year, and about 15 percent of those falls result in physical

injury serious enough to warrant medical attention. The beauty of carpet

is that it provides a slip-resistant surface and does not produce glare

from surrounding light sources. In some states, having carpet in a facility

may reduce insurance premiums.

Additionally,

the comfort underfoot of carpet can reduce leg fatigue and can warm the

feet and ankles. Because of its pile construction, which acts as an efficient

thermal insulator, the temperature over carpet is substantially warmer

than that over cold, hard surfaces. Seniors, whose feet and ankles are

more susceptible to temperature changes, will stay warmer on carpet because

of its natural insulating properties.

Vision

Changes in

depth perception, color perception and vision clarity in older adults

should be considered when selecting the flooring. Carpet patterns that

are too bold or too large provide little contrast between adjoining surfaces,

making it difficult for those who have problems with depth perception

such as those with cataracts to gauge which item is in the foreground

and which is in the background. For this reason, floral or boldly patterned

carpet should be avoided on stairs.

The color palette

in a facility's living area should be as homelike as possible to soften

the impact of moving into a retirement facility.

"People

want to age in place, to be independent as long as possible, and traditional

carpet reminds people of home," says Libby Laguta of L2 Design, Inc.

in Atlanta, who specializes in interior design for health care and senior

living facilities.

An individual

unit often features solid color cut pile carpet like a home. In other

parts of the facility, products that have medium contrast without being

too bold are preferred. Both the aging parents and their adult children

often make the selection of a senior living facility, so it must appeal

to both sets of eyes while being inviting, functional and safe, according

to Ann Hurley, marketing development manager for Solutia and past board

member of the Color Marketing Group.

Selecting patterns

and colors depends on the use of each area. Studies have shown that color

has a psychological effect on moods, so warm neutrals are a good choice,

but it's important to remember that color contrast is important to prevent

accidents. According to some color theorists, warm and cool colors have

an influence on activity. The cool colors tend to promote relaxation,

and the warm colors tend to stimulate activity. So a variety of colors,

depending on the use of the area, is important.

"People

appreciate texture and visual changes in their environment, so patterned

carpet is appropriate in certain areas in a facility. But the contrast

in the pattern must be distinguishable that means it must be readable

in black and white and shades of gray," says Laguta. She recommends

that where patterned carpet is used, it should be an organized pattern

with small pattern repeats and medium contrast, avoiding large areas of

dark and light. She notes that if a designer or facility manager puts

on a pair of yellow sunglasses, which will mimic changes in the eye's

lens that occurs with aging, and is able to see the pattern of carpet

swatches through them, that carpet will be successful in a senior living

facility.

Light sources

and the degree and evenness of illumination also affect the vision and

safety of any living space. Starting at age 40, our vision is gradually

impaired as the pupil of the eye decreases in size, creating a need for

more light.

According to

Jain Malkin in her book, "Hospital Interior Architecture," a

70-year-old individual requires three times as much light to see with

the same clarity as someone 20 years old. She also notes that glare is

one of the biggest problems associated with aging eyes, because it may

make boundaries or edges difficult to discern. Reflective glare off tabletop

or hard surface flooring can present problems, so her recommendation to

reduce the glare is using carpet and fabric upholstery as opposed to vinyl.

Hearing

Fewer than

12 percent of those over 65 have normal hearing, and 30 to 50 percent

have a hearing loss that significantly interferes with communication and

relationships with others, according to one study. Because hearing is

crucial to a sense of well-being, it is important that the environment

be conducive to good hearing. Older adults are often unable to hear high-pitched

sounds such as a doorbell or an alarm, and often have great difficulty

separating speech from background noise. For example, the presence of

background music or reverberating sound from hard-surface floors may interfere

with hearing. Carpet can help absorb airborne sound, reduce surface noise

and block sound transmission from floor to floor. Elizabeth M. Hughes,

Ph.D., R.N. noted that a recent study of adults in senior living facilities

showed that participants thought noise caused the greatest problem for

them. In designing this type facility, she recommends selecting features

to help absorb noise, including an acoustical ceiling, carpet in most

of the areas, upholstered chairs and fabric vertical blinds.

For more information

about carpet selection and its benefits in senior living, contact the

Carpet and Rug Institute at (800) 882-8846 or visit its Web site at www.carpet-rug.com .

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