Garden Spot Village opened in New Holland, Pennsylvania, in 1996. However, the lack of privacy, lack of choice, clinical nature of the environment, and lifelessness residents were experiencing in an institutional setting convinced management to convert their traditionally designed nursing home into households.

The designer developed an addition with two households, and the existing facility was redesigned into 25 semiprivate and private rooms. The households support a new philosophy of resident-centered care designed to maximize freedom of choice in all aspects of residents’ lives. Features such as a “front door” with porch, an open kitchen, a residential dining room, a living room, a parlor, and separate service corridors for each house support the new philosophy. Resident rooms are located off this shared space and have a yin-and-yang–style bathroom arrangement, accessible showers, knickknack shelves, flexibility of furnishings, and visual cues to toilets.

Additional elements include a locked medicine cabinet in each resident room for charting and storage of charts and a team room for the secure storage of meds and patient records. There is no nurses’ station. Unique linen storage alcoves support the “no cart” philosophy and put supplies close to the residents. Wireless nurse call and communication systems yield staff efficiency and allow staff to maximize time with residents.

Residents now have more control of their daily lives. Because of careful planning and good staff utilization, the operational costs for this model are no more than in a traditional facility, so there is no added cost to the residents.

Project category: New construction & Remodel/Renovation (completed March 2007)

Chief administrator: Steve Lindsey, MSW, NHA, Chief Executive Officer, (717) 355-6032

Firm: SFCS, Inc., (215) 423-4900

Design team: David P. McGill, AIA, Senior Designer; Kevin H. Hylton, Architectural Graphics (SFCS, Inc.); LaVrene Norton, MSW, Culture Change Consultant (Action Pact, Inc.); John Q. Yoder, Production Architect (Cornerstone); Lynn Godshall, Interior Designer (Godshall Commercial Interiors); Gerald Bowman, Project Development Director (Horst Construction)

Photography: Tim Schoon Photography; Allan Holm Photography

Total building area (sq. ft.): 25,380 (new); 16,552 (renovation)

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $156 (new); $53 (renovation)

Total construction cost (excluding land): $3,968,000 (new); $875,000 (renovation)