SAFE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. PDF

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THE 30TH. UIA-PHG INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON PUBLIC HEALTHCARE 29th. November - 3rd. December 2010 SAFE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. F. Vavili 1 Dr Architect, Professor Tel: +306972333322 Email: [email protected] A. Kyrkou 2 Architect Tel: +30316936781427 Email: artemiskyrkou@...

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THE 30TH. UIA-PHG INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON PUBLIC HEALTHCARE 29th. November - 3rd. December 2010

SAFE HEALTHCARE FACILITIES FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. F. Vavili 1 Dr Architect, Professor Tel: +306972333322 Email: [email protected]

A. Kyrkou 2 Architect Tel: +30316936781427 Email: [email protected] 1

Author’s name,

2

Co-author’s name

Department of Architectural Design and Architectural Technology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GREECE

ABSTRACT A hospital stay is often a traumatic event for everybody due to the loss of one’s points of reference, reduced autonomy and separation from one’s relations and familiar environment. A more vulnerable group are children and adolescents (up to 19 years old), who are still developing perception of body, time and future and who find it difficult to perceive recovery after their present discomfort. Safety and security for a child’s well-being in this case are major issues. A safe and secure hospital environment would offer care, protection and respect of the child’s body and mind as well as friendly atmosphere and understandable orientation. Purpose: This paper estimates the great importance of children’s hospitals and children’s wards. It shows aspects for creating better healing environments in children’s health care facilities and also illustrates the current architectural trends of children’s healing environments.

Methods: This study uses the latest and most contemporary examples of health facilities for children and adolescents from different geographical locations. Elementary factors of design are analyzed and specified according to literature review. Results: Children’s healthcare facilities can promote the healing process, reduce stress, eliminate their fears, have positive effects on them and create a harmless hospital experience, under certain circumstances. Design details can have an impact on the quality and value of care. Efficient and flexible design offers more comfort; it can intrigue a child’s imagination and creativity and offer a more secure environment. Conclusions: Architecture, design, aesthetics and technology can be a substantial contribution to safer and more secure healthcare environments for children and adolescents. Interior and exterior factors of the healthcare environments can provide safety and security on a child’s psychology and its well-being. KEYWORDS: children’s health care, safe health care

UIA-PHG...