In the future, it will be a challenge for healthcare institutions to increasingly focus on the individual while meeting greater healthcare needs. Research shows that the physical environment influences our well-being. Being able to stay, permanently or temporarily, in a place where we feel secure, included and seen is vital for our state of health. This is why Kinnarps is launching Next Care®, a five step method to creating the optimal care environment for your operations. What Kinnarps refers to as ‘healing spaces’. Healthcare environments that improve the well-being of everyone who spends time in them, whether they be patients, staff or relatives.
Five step proces
Kinnarps Next Care® aims to give a basic understanding of how care environments can be actively designed to stimulate the healing process, and to describe the requirements that should be set for interior design in such environments. A healing space is an environment in which an individual feels safe, stimulated and included. A place in which you feel at home, where you are comfortable, and you feel seen. Simply put, spaces where there is a focus on healthcare and nursing.
The Next Care method is based on a five step process that involves all stakeholders from the care home operator and project on route to creating the optimal care environment. The process is based on the Handbook for Creating Healing Spaces, a clear and inspiring guide for creating healing spaces.
Society reaps great benefits from choosing the right interior design and furnishings in these environments. These benefits come in the form of fewer injuries caused by falls and workload and the increased well-being of all who spend time in these environments, whether they be patients, staff or relatives. Focusing on the individual is the most important trend in healthcare and nursing.
Close collaboration with experts, researchers and therapists
“Working from the individual’s starting point and needs puts great demands on insight and knowledge regarding the design of care environments for coming generations. As this plays a strong part in how individuals in these environments work and thrive, we strive to more thoroughly share our expertise in the hopes that it will spark discussion and highlight this issue,” says Franzén.
In developing Next Care, Kinnarps has closely collaborated with healthcare and nursing experts, researchers, architects, occupational therapists, department heads, designers and relatives of patients. This collaboration has resulted in a discussion on the care environments of the future and of healing spaces. Visit the Kinnarps website to view these films and interviews.