Ambient noise characteristics in long-term care facilities Free

The built environment in senior living communities can enhance or detract from a resident’s quality of life. This work focused on one specific physical characteristic of the environment that has not been well documented in recent literature: noise. Noise can negatively impact patient-caregiver speech communication—a paramount aspect of healthcare delivery. A communication breakdown can be particularly problematic among older adults, a population that can have a higher incidence of sensory impairments or cognitive decline. In this study, ambient noise data were collected at several senior living communities. Sound level meters were deployed in various locations across the facilities, including resident rooms, common lounge areas, nurse stations, therapy rooms, staff break rooms, and corridors. Noise data were collected over 72-hour periods during both weekdays and weekends to understand typical acoustical conditions of senior living communities during different levels of activity, occupancies, and times of day. The findings aid in understanding what acoustical conditions exist in senior living communities, such as overall sound levels, fluctuations over time, and spectral content, and how these conditions can impact healthcare speech communication for aging populations.