The impact of architectural and urban conditions on care in care homes for the elderly

In recent years, the debates surrounding the care of elderly people with a lower or higher degree of dependency have pivoted towards policies that favour their autonomy, increasing resources for home care and rethinking the management and care models of care homes. In these reflections, the analysis of the urban characteristics of care homes has scarcely been addressed. The spatial dimension of care has only been studied from an approach to the conditions of the residential building itself and not so much the environment or the urban framework in which it is located.

This paper analyses the impact of the urban characteristics of care homes on the care of the elderly. The aim of the paper is to determine the link between spatial conditions and care, and to assess whether the urban characteristics of care homes should be a dimension that needs to be integrated into public policies in order to guarantee comprehensive care.