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178 In Pursuit of the Sunbeam: A Practical Guide to Transformation from Institution to Household
“Staff work space needs to be integrated into the life of the house.”
Households need storage for important items related to home life. Games, holiday decorations, candlesticks, the good china, books and keepsakes all may be strategically and attractively stored in rooms where they are typically used.
Medications ideally should be kept in a locked cabinet in each resident’s room. Med-carts are no longer necessary. Medications that require double locking can be kept in the staff room or in an interior locked space within each resident’s medicine cabinet. Check with your state survey agency in advance to be sure you have designed an approach that will pass inspection.
Utility Spaces
Appropriate design of utility spaces is critical. Access to the soiled utility room should be direct and convenient so linen and clothing bins never sit in the open. While some organizations may choose to send soiled linens and clothing in bulk to a central laundry, we suggest as much laundry as possible be done within the household.
In some states this may require two sets of washers and dryers separated for soiled and non soiled items. Household residents may choose to help with table linens or assist in washing personal clothing. Because soiled laundry must be kept apart from other washables, a separate non soiled laundry complete with folding tables and hanging rods within reach of wheelchairs should be accessible for residents who enjoy participating. Clean utility areas may possibly be integrated with laundry rooms, but ideally, a laundry room will be only a laundry room.
Staff Work Spaces
Appropriate design of work areas is vital to household staff effectiveness. Staff work areas need to be integrated into the life of the house without diminishing the feeling of home and normalcy. Roll-top desks, armoires, nooks and wireless laptops all help integrate home and service. Spaces in the households should carefully integrate design features that allow staff to be close to and part of the daily life of the house. Imagine an environment quiet and calm enough for work and home life to co-exist. Done well, the scale of the space reflects the true atmosphere of home versus the chaos of the institutional model.
Privacy requirements mandated by the federal government can be achieved through a variety of means within households. The goal is to have residents and staff together as much as possible. However, an enclosed private room must be available for conveying information that needs to be communicated over the phone (or that can be inadvertently transmitted to