You can listen to Episode S4E8 right here!
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Hello, and welcome to the Third Age Design podcast sharing essential information on senior environments. I’m Lori Pinkerton-Rolet. And who do you consider to be rule breakers, you know, the people who push the boundaries and help develop society for the future…those kinds of people? Well, in interiors, product design, as well as in fashion, one name pops to the top of the pile, and that is designer Sue Timney. And I’m very excited that she’s our special guest on today’s podcast, as we discuss “design rules and how to break them.” And in our Innovation Spotlight this month, we’ll look at the rise in popularity of hydrotherapy pools and how they differ from other water- based offers on the market. The answers are really very different to what I was expecting. I had the chance to take a sabbatical in Japan a few years ago. And there’s a word I’d really like to share with you from the trip. It’s yotori. It’s how to intentionally slow down, just to be to breathe, listen and appreciate the beauty of life. Consciously creating space to relax, to reflect and to integrate rather than being constantly busy or rushed, as pretty much all of us are. This podcast really can’t help you appreciate life any better. But we can create a bit more space in your life by conducting research from around the globe on senior environments, and synthesizing it into this short monthly podcast. And if you go to the website at Third Age Dot Design and hit the ‘Join Us’ button, you’ll also automatically receive A TAD Extra, which is exclusive information for our community members. And the current one follows up on the end-of-life design podcast that we did a couple of months ago, and the impact that these spaces have on- not only the patients but their family members, including children. The ThirdAge Design podcast is supported by Wissner-Bosserhoff elevate nursing care with intelligent beds from Wissner-Bosserhoff, blending modern smart day technology with comfort. Empowering caregivers worldwide. Discover more at www. we-bo.com. That’s www.wi – bo.com. Okay, let’s get started. My guest today is designer Sue Timney who has described her interior style as exotic classicism, which I have to say is not particularly easy to pronounce, but it is evident in the well-known Timney Fowler brand, and in fact, in the aesthetics of much of her other work. She’s worked in Britain, Europe, the US Japan, years in the sector in both commercial residential interiors and in fact, in product design. She’s a visiting Professor and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art and holds the Textile Institute’s design metal. She is a Past President of the British Institute of interior Design (BIID) and in 2021, was elected Chair of the Chelsea Arts Club. Sue’s designs were exhibited in 2012 at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s ‘British Design 1948 to 2012 Innovation in the Modern Age’ show, and again in the V&A’s ‘Club to Catwalk London Fashion in the ’80’s show the following year. She has developed house and giftware for the World Wildlife Fund has her own brand licensed by Marks and Spencers in the UK-The Sue Timney for M&S Collection of table and kitchenware. And her interior projects span diverse commissions from boutique hotels and residential projects in New York, to the Grand Designs BAFTA nominated water tower program. Her recent appointment within the Senior Living sector in the United Kingdom is for Wallacea Living. And that’s the topic we’re going to discuss today. Sue, welcome to the Third Age Design podcast.
Sue Timney
Lovely to be here.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Now you have got many options. And before we started recording, actually, we talked about this briefly between us. You have many options as to how you use your talent and time, and time is obviously always under some sort of pressure because you’re a busy lady. I’d like to begin by confirming that Wallacea approached you directly to work with them. Is that what happened?
Sue Timney
Yes absolutely. It was wonderful. They it appeared to come out of the blue but obviously they check what I’ve done and felt it might be relevant. I didn’t know a lot about the sector. I mean it I was aware It was an important part and growing part of the sector, that’s for sure. I’m even more convinced now. There’s no doubt at all. But I suppose I, in that first six months, I learned a lot. I absorbed, I was like blotting paper. I have had a wonderful time working and still continue with all of this work. It’s very ongoing.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
And what intrigued you about the sector, specifically, where you thought, yeah, I’d like to say yes to these people. I’d like to know more about this, or what was it about the sector?
Sue Timney
Well, I obviously started to look more into it. And I was amazed how gray it was. I mean, in every shade of that word. That’s not to say it wasn’t luxurious looking what existed, and, and probably appealed to a certain older person, but it felt slightly patronizing. Whatever I saw at that stage, and I, I’m one of these people, you know, I fit into this age group. And I don’t want to be patronized. And I’m pretty sure all my friends don’t want to be, we’re just the same as everybody else. You know, older people are just the same person a few years on, you still have those moments, you still have all those thoughts, and wishes and dreams, you do.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
And you want just you want to have a lifestyle, even if you’re downsizing and changing. It’s not so that you can basically sit in an apartment of some sort. So you are known for breaking rules. And one thing I noticed in looking at the Wallacea, a website is your show apartment is bold, it follows the SueTimney bold approach. It’s obviously for an educated person for someone interested in arts, it’s not the sort of bland- it could appeal to anyone-sort of approach is that something you discuss specifically with them in developing the brief for that space?
Sue Timney
No, we didn’t discuss specifically I think, luckily for me, they had a lot of confidence and faith in my thoughts about the sector. And rather than just see it as a sector, I saw it as a group of interesting people who had reached a certain age, that was the client, and that that person will have probably traveled, you know, we are talking about the luxury end of the market, let’s face it at this for my project that was part of the brief. And so this person will have traveled will have led a life will have been brought up with the 60s and the culture. I mean, the culture at that time was intense, and fresh and new and exciting. So that is in our DNA, you know, people of my age, it’s in our DNA. And women especially, you know, it was the time of the pill. We had independence, we got jobs, for the first time we were going to college. Working class we’re meeting middle class and having a ball. And we’re still those people basically. So I wanted the color and the look to reflect all of that.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
So when you were looking into it, you said you were looking in, you know, looked into the sector, were there any specific things that came across as sort of ‘rules’ which you were determined to not do or to break in any way or break away from so for example, I saw the kitchen. I don’t know if that was your design, because some of the things on the website are computer- generated. But we normally would have great contrast between the counter and the backsplash and the counter and the floor. And even some of that can be a little patronizing. And that isn’t what I what I saw on the website. So were there rules…you thought I’m going to not follow those?
Sue Timney
No, it was more subtle than that. And so of course there are subtle hopefully what we’ve integrated within it respectfully is more subtle than perhaps other communities that were talking you might see. But I think it was important when the kitchen which is a basic design, I have to say because we had to have some areas like the bathroom and the kitchen that followed a certain kind of style that made sense or this This community, but it was also important that it still looked good to work on and with, you know, we want our kitchens, we want to enjoy that time in our kitchens, we spend a lot of time in our kitchens, if you enjoy cooking, and all the things that you might do in later life, you know, I am dying to learn to be a better cook, and all of that stuff. So it was important to have good kitchens, to show a little bit of a style and a feel that didn’t patronize once more we go back to that that phrase, but still was respectful of one sight. So there was a fine-line between keeping it looking interesting and good to use. And being respectful of other people’s needs, from arthritic problems through to sight problems.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Right, which can be common in in the age group, as well, as mentioned side projects, sight problems, macular degeneration, and you know, not having glare, which isn’t pleasant at the best of times, regardless of your age.
Sue Timney
Yeah, absolutely. And yes, as you say, you know, some of these issues apply to everybody. You know, what I would like, ideally, is that designs like ours, for Wallacea have gone will go through and actually spread out amongst all age groups. In other words, I’d like to think that design at its best at the Senior Living level, can influence down the ages as well as going up from the bottom age and becoming patronizing. Why don’t we think the other way around for a while, you know, we’ve got we’ve designed well, so why couldn’t ad apply to everybody’s kitchen? Why couldn’t apply to everybody’s apartment? Or communal spaces in buildings?
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Yeah, that’s a very inspirational way of flipping things on its on its head a little bit from the, the current models. When you are talking about the luxury aspect of this site, how specifically did that work its way into the work that you were doing…was it was it finishes? Was it a spend? I mean, how did that manifest itself so that you walk in and you feel I know, I’m in a luxurious space?
Sue Timney
Yeah. Well, I always like to balance that feeling of luxury, with humanity, and community, and creativity, which is in a way that one last word is for me, overriding, it’s a common thread throughout everything I attempt to do that, you know, that feeling of creativity, as you enter a space kind of gets to you in a very positive way. And it’s exciting. And I wanted to maintain that. So the word luxury is, is synonymous with sometimes not always being ostentatious as well as a fine line. And if you can combine it with creativity, and a feeling of well being very, very important that word to then I think you’ve got the ultimate luxury, you know, luxury of our age, not luxury of a bygone era, but era, but luxury of our age, ie you get all those, those different qualities balanced out. That is luxury for me now.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
The group that you were speaking about that will be buying into this community, you mentioned they traveled, well read etc, etc. Did you have to have any input or discussions with your client regarding the storage needs of these clients? Because one thing I have noticed in our work at a Park Grove Design is because things are being planned on a x-number of meters have a value of your storage tends to get reduced. But I find you know, if I look at it, my parents, heck, if I look at myself, I have collected things over the years. So that becomes that becomes a very difficult ask if I’m being asked to downsize. So was that something you had to engage with?
Sue Timney
Oh yes, yes, we’ve had. We’ve had talks about downsizing because we do wonderful events as well. You know what we do and the future sort of Wallacea is that we’re very keen on events and getting together. And they can be from talks about books to talks about downsizing. And it’s, you know, and in fact, we did a, an article in the Times with Katrina bBurrows after my talk with her, she came along, and we talked about downsizing. And she thought it was such an important subject, that we did something in the Sunday Times about it. And it’s tricky. Because yeah, you are going to have to get rid of some things as you get older. But that’s inevitable, where ever you’re living. If you’re going to be realistic about what you’re leaving behind you and how your children are going to manage, you know, I think it’s really important that you, we all address it, I am addressing it, I, by the way, and I’m the biggest collector in the world, oh, my gosh, the things I’ve got. And the the thing is, the younger generation do not want to inherit your stuff.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
No, but also, I just moved in the last year, and I found down the downsizing gives me an opportunity to reprioritize the objects and elements that are that are meaningful to me at this stage in my life, which might differ from stuff that normally I would just stick up in the attic, because I had it, so it can be a very positive thing.
Sue Timney
Yeah, I totally agree. And you know, a lot of the time you’ve got the space, so you don’t get rid of it. It’s almost as simple as that. And then when you start to analyze, well, when did I last use that? Or see it? Or you almost answered the question yourself, you actually don’t need it. And how great to give it to charity shops. Obviously, your family are offered at first, but quite often, they’ve been brought up in an era of you know, have nothing will travel and be flexible, you know, and I get that I get it. It’s pretty nice to be able to be free of things. I mean, yeah, it is. It’s a really relevant question. And I’m not giving you a pat answer, there has to be a process. And yet downsizing will be required, whatever you’re doing. It just helps you edit a bit sooner. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing, as we’ve just said.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
And visualize that this next chapter and in a person’s life.
Sue Timney
A great, great way to decide a new look that you want.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
You’ve talked about the events that are taking place, including the discussion about about downsizing. Community, I understand is a very important element to you to Wallacea…what tools do you think interior designers have to support ‘community’ when designing spaces? How can this really be realized in a space? What can we do to support that?
Sue Timney
Well, I guess I had a big advantage because I was chair of the Chelsea Arts Club when I was first approached. And that in my spare time. But the advantage is that you understand, I was able to understand, for instance, just how important events and get togethers are, how important talking is meeting people, even on a regular basis. So we’ve had we’ve got a library, we’ve got a cinema, you know, all the meeting places, but we have wonderful weekly get-togethers too, and, and even if it’s just a cup of coffee, and your friends all around you, and you meet up once a week that, you know, those things are so important and actually living in bigger houses with lots of things around you when you’re older and can be much lonelier and more difficult. You know, this is giving fun on a plate. That’s what I found. The more I looked at it, the more I was convinced that was the kind of life I imagined would be good for me, you know, at some time soon when when I’m ready to move, you know, into the right area, then that that I have nothing against the idea of doing that myself now.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
That was my next question. So I’m the I’ve I’ve I’ve thought similarly that yeah, it’s an interest way to form a different kind of community? What do you see as the future of interiors in this sector? Because at the moment, this sense of community tends to be sometimes a bit inward looking in some facilities, I can see you have guests from outside coming in to, to talk about books or what have you. But there’s still quite a, perhaps a separation of age groups. Do you see that continuing? Are there any other aspects that you see might be changing, or ripe for change in the sector in the future?
Sue Timney
Well, first of all, I think it’s really important that none of us as we get older think that we shouldn’t still be learning and still be very active and feeding our minds as well as our well being through physical needs. And so I don’t want to become ageist in any way, because we all know people of 80 who are have minds of 40, or 50. And we all know people in their 20s and 30s, who have always been old. And so I would prefer to think of us all, still learning and wanting to do something. You know, yeah, it’s true. If you have decided, as an older person, that you don’t want a change of life, and a bit of an dare I say, adventure by setting out a new home and new friends and bringing your family in to share it with you as well. Because we do all of that, and having events and learning how to paint or make pots, or do Pilates or dance or read or watch film, maybe that’s not for you then. But I don’t know many older people who don’t, aren’t interested in some of those subjects. And it’s just so life enforcing, when you do start getting involved with all of that, it’s it’s such fun, like, again, it’s a word I’m repeating, but fun is important in our lives, you know, to in I mean, it could be called enjoyment on a slightly lesser level, but it is that feeling that something fresh is happening, something good and you’re sharing it with people. We we encourage pets as well, very important that you can have your pets there that you can walk around with, with a dog or go for yard all the walks and, and share the enjoyment of all of that with other people.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Did that change any of your finishes, as you were going through things in order to accommodate pets.
Sue Timney
Not too much. But obviously the obvious things like, you know, not having too many scratchy surfaces and but not really because that’s we’ve integrated pets into our lives for a long time. And we know that the positive mental health that we get from having animals and children around, and they’re all allowed, you know, or grandchildren the whole lot, you know, let’s have them.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
And that goes back to the wellbeing. aspect of what you’re talking about.
Sue Timney
And yeah, very important. Yes.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Is there one or more unspoken rule that you think really needs to be broken and should in fact be broken now.
Sue Timney
I don’t know if this is an unspoken rule. But I felt as I was putting this show apartment together, that it was very important, again for mental well being and physical well being to have a space within everybody’s own personal apartment rather than the general amenity places in the rest of the building, to have a place within one’s own personal space that allows you to do those things that you might want to do yourself a bit of painting, ie a second room if possible that you put aside which obviously usually gets classed as a guest bedroom. Why does it need to be a guest bedroom when you could have a sofa bed and have the rest of the space for you to do your pilates on the floor for you to paint for you to think about using your, your digital needs, because we’ll all be using computers all the time. Well, I don’t know, let me say that bit again, I think there are, there’s also a need for digital space, you know, we have all by now in got involved with the digital world, and that’s a huge plus too, we can speak to our families in a zoom we can do, we don’t have to have them there all the time, we might want to be more private from our families, you know, this might be our time to be more private as well and have a life of new girlfriends and boyfriends who knows that, you know, all of that is possible. And that extra space that we might decide to have, rather than one bedroom, two bedroom sometimes will allow us a lot of extra leeway in terms of thinking about what else we could be doing just a quiet room to read and listen to music. So it’s nothing that needs changing, it’s just some additional things, ways to think as we get older. And I, I do think it’s quite important to have digital skills, it’s probably not always going to be a popular thing for me to say, but I think it is, is we can’t ignore what’s happening in the world, we can’t cut ourselves away. From that, I think we’re involving ourselves with so many things that cross-fertilize with digital. That has to be an aspect, not a major aspect. But within everybody’s apartment, we will have a digital sensor, that senses whether somebody’s moved, or they need help, there is an iPad that you can just log into very simply to say that you need somebody to come up with some food for you instead of going down that night. So that in a way, is a combination of what a hotel might be as well, you know, the best kind of hotel. So there were aspects of that, that we’ve taken from every sector and put together into this sector. We’ve learned.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
that’s very interesting. And also everybody needs purpose of some kind and from what it sounds like this extra space that you might, you know, might be able to carve out for yourself within the apartment, it can be utilized for whatever that that purpose might be, whether it’s fundraising for charity, or starting a little business or did any for any any purpose at all, really.
Sue Timney
I think I think it gives everybody it’s like their, their studio, or their part-time office or whatever it want. We want it to be you have that and you’re in control of that aspect of it. And like you say, yeah, you can start a small part time business, there’s no age, age group defining how you do that, or why you do it. You know, a lot of people buy into our, our retirement communities. And I’ve sort of have to say is that word retirement the best word… but anyhow, the into our communities aren’t going to suddenly stop living their life is just a continuation and a development of it is not a complete stop from one thing and another start. It’s what you want it to be. It’s just another wonderful space with more amenities to work in, to live in, to be friends with other people in and to have your family in and even have your pets in.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
I have one final question, which is related to more of a front of house communal spaces, which is have you Sue Timney come up with any concepts which break the rules of corridors, where you have a console table with some things on it or a lamp and a piece of art? Or our corridors just going to be corridors? Is there something that designers can do to break out of just buying bench seating and console tables?
Sue Timney
Well, one thing I would like to do in our corridor is have exhibitions so that because they’re perfect, we’ve got walls and to have exhibitions that rotate. You know, in the Chelsea Arts Club, for instance, what we do is we work with Chelsea Hospital. And we, we give them a moving exhibition every six months. And it’s so stimulating the feedback we get from people just walking along the corridor, seeing different art and interacting with that is so immensely valuable for one’s mental health and stimulating. And I certainly think our corridors can be used for that. And that’s so simple. It’s, it’s not rocket science. But as you walk along to the lift, you see another set of art, another set of colors, the details are in a little note, next to it, it’s, you can find out how it was done what technique if you want to, or you can just enjoy the color and the image. And if we can do that, I feel art- having come from a fine art background, originally, I feel I know that the value of that is is immense. And if we can impart that, and feed that sort of need to be stimulated, which keeps us alive, then I think that’s the way we want to do it. So we’re, we’re we’re not just encouraging art classes for the residents as well, which is a wonderfully valuable thing. But we’re also working with different colleges, like the Royal College of Art, and looking at their inclusivity and how we can help through the nature of art, produce stimulating walls to look at.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
I love that you’ve got to you’ve got an environment which is alive, you’ve got an environment change, it’s not static, where you as you’re living your life, you’re able to pay attention to things because they’re not the same all the time.
Sue Timney
Yes, very important. Very important. Anyhow, I’m signing up, are you?
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Yeah, and you’ve sold you’ve sold me on and you’ve really provided some very good thoughts, inspirations for people to think about and in their in their own work and environments to drill down some of these some of these concepts in a way that works for them as well. I really would like to thank you for your time Sue.
Sue Timney
I really enjoyed it. Thank you. It was stimulating. Thank you.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
It’s really been an honor to have Sue with us on today’s podcast, and you’ll find links to her work on the podcast page for this episode at Third Age Dot Design. In today’s ‘Innovation Spotlight’, I’m speaking with Joe Hulbert Sales Director at Innova Care Concepts in the United Kingdom. Thanks for joining me on the podcast, Joe. In fact, thanks for joining me, I think, for the second time. You’re the first guest that we’ve ever had twice. And the first time we were talking about innovations in general. This time, we’re going to talk about a very particular topic, which is hydrotherapy pools. What do you think has spurred the recent interest in this kind of pool as opposed to say a standard pool that might have hoists or floats or things for residents? Why the interest do you think?
Joe Hulbert
Great question Lori. Hydrotherapy pools you may be aware, but they operate at a higher water temperature of 35 degrees, instead of typically 28 degrees for a normal pool. As a result, it opens up the significant amount of different patient classes you can treat and the uses for that pool. So for example, you can use the pool then at 35 degrees to treat those who are in chronic pain. There’s significant and proven benefits for those who have had a stroke. Hydrotherapy helps those who have low back pain and patients at risk of falls. Aquatic therapy is also a valuable treatment approach for those who have Parkinson’s disease. And finally, we’re seeing a lot more rehab centers using hydrotherapy to empower people with hip and knee osteoarthritis to help them get moving again after replacement surgery. So in summary, having a hydrotherapy pool gives you more options in terms of use for the pool than if it was a typical swimming pool. So and this, coupled with that there’s a massive shortage in the UK There’s a lot of demand out there.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Right, and you mentioned rehabilitation. So do these tend to go into rehab and care? Or are there other venues where you’re getting a demand as well?
Joe Hulbert
There’s many areas hydrotherapy pools are installed. So care, we’re finding an uplift in care homes as well as rehab centers. But also leisure centers. [Oh, right, okay.] Well being centers, even sports centers for intense rehab for sports players and for those for any injuries. And then, of course, SEN schools is a big area where there’s hydrotherapy pools installed.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
SEN Schools?
Joe Hulbert
Meaning, special needs schools. Thank you. Also known as SEN-D, or al N campuses, depending on which part of the country you’re in.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Right. I’m just thinking from other countries. That’s why I was asking for the break down. Yes, go ahead.
Joe Hulbert
Yeah, there’s profound benefits for children who need rehab who have special needs, be it the hoisted into the pool, or even for autistic children, it calms them down. And of course, there’s more and more going into people’s own homes, someone who might have had a catastrophic injury, or clinical negligence again, there’s benefits for them being treated, typically someone who might have cerebral palsy, for example.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
And from a space planning standpoint, these are smaller than, say, a standard pool. I know there’s no such thing as a standard, they vary widely, but they tend to be a bit smaller. So what sort of space is required for these and what sort of space is required for the perimeter?
Joe Hulbert
Great questions are typically a very common size for a multi-user hydrotherapy pools is six by four meters. But according to ATA CP, which is the aquatic therapists, guidelines, you need at least two meters on two sides of the pool, and 1.5 meters on the other two sides. So a six by four metre pool, you’ve immediately got then a pool room, which typically needs to be round about 10 by eight meters roughly, to give you the perimeter around the outside. There’s then also the requirement for a larger plant room bearing in mind that with the higher water temperature, it means bacteria multiply significantly quicker. So hence, the importance of the right size filters, automatic dosing. If you have a water temperature at 35, you’ll get a lot of condensation, you need a very high spec air handling unit to maintain the air temperature. So typically, we’ll find that a six by four metre pool size will need at least five by for me to plant room to house all of the plant to treat the water in that pool rooms. Right. Hopefully that gives a guide.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Yes, I think that’s really very, very helpful from people thinking about, you know, would this work in our situation? Or do we need to alter the footprint of our building? If this is something that we want to put in? Do we need to think about that fairly early on? The other thing that might need to be thought of early on is how you get it in because presumably, they tend to be a lower ground floor, or ground floor, depending on whether there’s a basement or not. And they’re stainless steel, I believe, so presumably that is in one piece and gets crained in at some point. So that’s got to be presumably part of the project planning as well.
Joe Hulbert
That’s right. So there’s different types of pool structure out there. Stainless steel has significant benefits and if you are having a stainless steel pool, often Yes, it would need to be planned ahead of time to be craned into the ground before the buildings built. There is option also options of panel pool systems. So at the moment, we’re looking to install a pool on the sixth floor of a new build hospital. [Oh my goodness] so paneled pool is another option which if a one piece pool can’t be crained into the ground before the buildings built, or it’s an existing building might be worth me just mentioning on why stainless steel. So with the higher water temperatures, it’s critical you don’t get bacteria buildup, particularly with vulnerable patients been treated in the pool. So with concrete and tile, every grout line is where bacteria can harbor so with something like stainless, you’ve got the flat surface which then prevents the bacteria buildup, meaning less chemicals to used.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Right, what about with the panels? Is it similar with the panels that it doesn’t have the same opportunities as a tile for example?
Joe Hulbert
Correct. So typically panels would be around about one meter wide so you’ve got less joints with that panel. system, but you can also put a liner inside the panel system and use a lower grade of stainless which can be also a cost benefit. If the one piece stainless is out of the budget. So there’s there’s a few options,
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Or the crane is out of the budget. So am I right to say that there’s a floor that goes down to the bottom of the pool and sits on the bottom and then raises up to seal the pool off from a sort of health and safety reason, when the pool is not in use? Is that? Is that correct? And can people walk across that or that’s not advisable?
Joe Hulbert
Correct, yes, you can get movable floors, which can be incorporated into hydrotherapy pools that could either be a moveable floor across the whole area of the pool, or you could have a split, so you have a half moveable floor. So the benefits of the movable floor mean, absolutely, you can move the floor right up to the top level of the pool, meaning that patients can have a wheel or walk onto the floor and be lowered down.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Oh, so it’s part of an access strategy, in fact, access,
Joe Hulbert
and also enables you depending on which movable floor structure you go for, but if you had your whole pool with a movable floor the same size as the internal of the pool, that means when you move both floors up, you’ve then got a room you can use for gym or for rehab, with the water sitting underneath the movable floor. But the other significant benefit with finding of movable floors is that it enables you to treat more than one patient in the pool at the same time at different levels, which was important according to the height of the patient, the height of the therapist, if say, for example, you’re using it for rehab and someone had had a hip replacement, you could lower the floor right down have a treadmill built into the floor. And you could have someone running in the treadmill on that moveable floor without putting any weight through their hip because of the displacement the water give. So just really opens up the options you can use the pool for.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Well, you mentioned therapists. So is special staff training required for using this equipment, and how does that get offered?
Joe Hulbert
Correct. So if someone was opening a pool or installing a pool for the first time in the new hub, new care home facility, for example, there would be specific operator training and pool maintenance three day courses we would advise. There’s also specific Pugh Tag training. So Pugh Tag is an advisory board for water treatment. So you’ve got your operational side, but then you’ve also got your therapist training. And you can go on training courses for becoming an Aquatic Therapist so you can treat patients in the pool. So there’s are a number of training courses of which we would advise and signpost and often actually include as part of our package to provide that training on handover of the pool to ensure is used effectively.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
What is the main reason just to sort of go full circle on this conversation that operators are telling you that they want this equipment in their facility? Why do they come to you know, and say, I want a hydrotherapy pool?
Joe Hulbert
I would say there’s there’s three main reasons to summarize one is it’s a differentiator. You know, if you’ve got two care homes in a note nearby area, one has a hydrotherapy pool and one doesn’t, you’re bound to want to put your loved one into the home where there is a hydrotherapy pool because of the benefits it can give. So that’s one is the differentiator. The second reason is, it can be a significant income generation tool. So if you’re able to lease the pool out and have other users come in from outside the community into the home to use the pool, it’s proven that the income generation can far exceed the running costs. [Interesting.] I think, thirdly, if it provides significant benefits to your patients in the home, and helps reduce risk of falls helps. Number of benefits went through but helps with breathing with muscle tone, then almost it can potentially prolong the life of the residents in your home by using that pool and you’ve been able to use those facilities.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
Right and in terms of those costs, we will need to leave that to the listeners to look into because as you’ve already mentioned, there are different you know, types of finishes. I already know that there are different types of drains. So it really needs to be costed based on where they are physically in the world and what it is that they’re asking for. But I think you’ve done a great job of explaining why there’s this current interest and certainly my own company Park Grove, we’re getting more and more inquiries about trying to include these facilities. And that’s why we thought it was really important to make sure we get it on the podcast and make everybody aware of the potential benefits of this sort of technology. Thank you so much, Joe.
Joe Hulbert
My pleasure. Thank you for including me again Lori, my privilege.
Lori Pinkerton-Rolet
There are links on the podcast page for this episode for more information about hydrotherapy pools. We’re running out of time on this episode, but I’d like to remind you to check out the TAD International Events Calendar on the website. And to highlight that next month we’ll be recording a panel discussion called ‘The next Senior Living Design Challenges’ and that will be recorded at the new Shackleton’s showroom in Dewsbury, England for a future broadcast. A real treat for next month, however, as we take you back to THE original groundbreaking project in dementia care Hogevyek Village in the Netherlands…in our exclusive interview with founder Eloy Van Hall on lessons learned and the best way to learn them now. Thank you to today’s very special guests Sue Timney, to Joe Hulbert from Innova and to our sponsors, Wissner-Bosserhoff. Elevate nursing care with intelligent beds from Wissner-Bosserhoff blending modern day smart care technology with comfort and empowering caregivers worldwide. To our editor and producer Mike Scales, to Valerie Adler of The Right Website, to Peter Thorne, who composed our theme music and is playing the piano with Mary Blanchard on flute. I’m Lori Pinkerton-Rolet and I thank you for listening.