Designing for Aging Eyes: Creating Senior Living Environments that Support Safety, Independence and Well-Being

^{Article written by: Savannah Weeks, Healthcare + Senior Living Marketing Manager | Published by Shaw Contract} 

By 2030, one in five Americans will be over age 65. As this demographic shift continues, the need for evidence-based senior living design becomes increasingly important. 

Creating environments that support aging eyes is more than compliance or aesthetics. It is about helping residents feel safe, confident and empowered in the places they call home. 

The ability to safely navigate a space, recognize faces, read signage, distinguish changes in flooring and move confidently through daily routines depends heavily on visual perception. Yet vision naturally changes with age, affecting how senior living residents experience the built environment long before significant vision loss occurs. 

To help designers, operators, and caregivers better understand these challenges, Shaw Contract partnered with researchers from the University of Georgia to develop the white paper, The Integral Role of Vision in Healthy Aging: Understanding Impacts and Optimizing Environments through Flooring. The research explores how age-related changes in vision influence safety, mobility, and overall well-being, while providing evidence-based design recommendations that support healthy aging.  

Why Vision Matters in Senior Living Design 

As we age, common changes in vision can include: 

• Reduced contrast sensitivity 
• Changes in color perception 
• Increased sensitivity to glare 
• Difficulty adapting to changes in light levels 
• Reduced visual acuity 
• Age-related conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration 

These changes can make everyday environments more challenging to navigate. Flooring color changes may appear as steps, shadows can be perceived as obstacles, and poor lighting can increase disorientation and fall risk. The result is often decreased confidence, reduced independence and greater risk of injury.  

For senior living communities focused on resident-centered care, understanding how aging eyes perceive space is essential. 

^{Contrast between furniture, walls and soft-and-hard surface flooring is a critical consideration when designing for aging eyes.}  

Five Flooring Design Principles to Supporting Older Adults  

The research highlights several evidence-based design strategies that can help create safer, more supportive environments for older adults. 

1. Prioritize Contrast Over Color Alone 

Many design decisions focus on aesthetic appeal, but for aging residents, contrast often matters more than color. 

Clearly defined contrasts between floors, walls, furniture and wayfinding elements help residents identify boundaries and navigate spaces more confidently. Designers should ensure that contrast improves visibility without creating confusing visual patterns or perceived level changes.  

2. Minimize Visual Clutter 

Busy patterns, abrupt color changes and highly complex flooring designs can create confusion for residents experiencing visual decline. 

Simple, intentional design solutions often make spaces easier to understand and navigate. Flooring patterns should support wayfinding rather than compete for attention.  

3. Address Lighting and Glare 

Lighting plays a significant role in how residents perceive their environment. 

Older adults typically require more light to see clearly, yet they are often more sensitive to glare. Designing spaces that provide consistent illumination while minimizing reflective surfaces can improve comfort and confidence throughout a community.  

4. Support Safe Navigation Through Flooring 

Flooring is one of the largest visual surfaces in any senior living environment and can either support or hinder safe mobility. 

Thoughtful flooring selections can help residents better identify pathways, understand spatial transitions and move more confidently through spaces. As the research emphasizes, flooring works best as part of a larger system that includes lighting, handrails, wayfinding and operational practices.  

5. Design for Independence 

Ultimately, the goal of age-supportive design is not simply reducing falls. It helps people maintain independence, dignity and quality of life. 

When environments align with the changing sensory needs of older adults, residents can engage more fully in community life and perform daily activities with greater confidence.  

Go Deeper with the Aging Eyes Research White Paper 

The Aging Eyes Research White Paper provides a comprehensive review of how age-related vision changes affect perception and behavior within the built environment. Developed by researchers from the University of Georgia's Institute of Gerontology and Department of Psychology, the paper translates scientific findings into practical design guidance for healthcare and senior living professionals.  

Whether you're planning a renovation, designing a new community, or evaluating resident safety initiatives, the research offers valuable insights that can help inform better decisions. 

^{Designing spaces that provide consistent illumination while minimizing reflective surfaces can improve comfort and confidence throughout a community.}

Earn Continuing Education Credit with Designing for Aging Eyes 

Looking for a deeper dive into the research? 

Shaw Contract's CEU, Designing for Aging Eyes: Flooring Solutions for Healthy, Safe Environments, expands on the white paper's findings and provides practical strategies designers and facility leaders can apply immediately. 

Participants will learn: 

• How vision changes as we age 
• The impact of visual impairments on mobility and safety 
• How flooring influences perception and navigation 
• Evidence-based design strategies that support healthy aging 
• Practical recommendations for creating safer environments for older adults 

The course is approved for both IDCEC and AIA continuing education credit and carries an HSW designation.  

Download the Aging Eyes Research White Paper and explore our Designing for Aging Eyes CEU to learn how thoughtful design can improve the lives of older adults through every step of their journey.