Zur Rolle des Designs in kultursensiblen Alters- und Pflegeeinrichtungen

Culture-specific care facilities for the elderly in Switzerland – so-called „Mediterranean“ care facilites – offer a home for elderly women and men from the Mediterranean region. Most of them came as labor migrants to Switzerland in the 1950s to 1970s from Italy and Spain. In the future elderly immigrants are originated from diverse countries and continents. It is controversial among experts whether these culture-specific care models can be transferred to these population groups. They rather plead for a transcultural shift in regular care facilities. This begs the question, how the design of the environment can contribute to this shift. The dissertation examines the design of the environment of so-called 'Mediterranean' care facilities and explains which factors are positively evaluated by the residents or have a positive impact on their well-being. The focus is on the one hand on the design of the spatial environment (both common and private spaces) and on the other hand on service design, which also includes the socio-cultural programs of these culture-specific facilities. Finally, the dissertation shows which design factors contribute to a culturally sensitive environment in nursing homes.