We specialize in assisted living interior design, with 20+ facilities and 400,000 sq ft delivered.
In this article, we explore how smart interiors limit transmission, protect vulnerable residents, and reduce staff burden. In assisted living, infection risk is shaped by air movement, water systems, surfaces, layouts, and daily workflows. Good design can lower environmental bioburden, reduce cross-traffic between clean and dirty zones, and make the right behaviors easy. The goal is dignified, home-like spaces that quietly support CDC, WHO, and ASHRAE guidance without feeling clinical.
20 research-backed critical elements
- Ventilation and clean air delivery as a primary control
Increase outdoor air, raise equivalent clean air delivery, and filter to MERV 13 or higher where systems allow. ASHRAE Standard 241 defines targets for controlling infectious aerosols and complements healthcare ventilation best practices.
Sources: ASHRAE 241, CDC ventilation in buildings
- Portable HEPA units for high-risk rooms and events
HEPA air cleaners reduce aerosol concentrations and are recommended by CDC to supplement central systems, especially in spaces with vulnerable residents or during outbreaks.
Source: CDC ventilation guidance
- Upper-room and in-duct UVGI where appropriate
Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation can inactivate airborne pathogens when designed and commissioned correctly.
Sources: CDC NIOSH UVGI overview, CDC TB airborne control guidance
- Water system risk management to prevent Legionella and other waterborne pathogens
Assisted living facilities should implement water management programs that meet ASHRAE 188 and CDC guidance to reduce risks from Legionella and other organisms.
Sources: ASHRAE 188, CDC Legionella toolkit
- Sink and faucet design that minimizes splash and drain contamination
Shallow basins, poorly placed drains, and high-velocity laminar streams can splash contaminated water onto nearby surfaces. Design deeper basins with offset drains and correct aeration, and keep sinks away from medication prep and clean storage.
Sources: CDC environmental infection control, Review of sink-associated outbreaks
- Cautious use of touchless faucets in resident care areas
Some electronic faucets have been linked to higher colonization when not designed or maintained for healthcare. If used, select models validated for contamination control and maintain hot water temperatures and flushing protocols per your water plan.
Source: Legionella in electronic faucets
- Hand hygiene access and workflow integration
Place alcohol-based hand rub at room entries and points of care, use paper towels rather than jet dryers in care zones, and make sinks convenient without causing splash risks.
Sources: CDC hand hygiene guideline, Hand drying review
- Surface selection that limits seams and harborage
Use seamless, heat-welded sheet flooring with integral coved base in high-risk zones and choose nonporous, easily cleanable surfaces for tops and millwork. Avoid hard-to-clean joints and textures that trap soil.
Source: CDC environmental infection control
- Material compatibility with EPA-listed disinfectants
Choose finishes, fabrics, and glides that tolerate the chemistries on your Environmental Services formulary. Confirm efficacy for priority organisms such as SARS-CoV-2 and Candida auris.
Sources: EPA List N, EPA List Q
- Validated antimicrobial metals on true high-touch points
Copper alloy touch surfaces have reduced bioburden and lowered healthcare-associated infections in controlled trials, which supports targeted use on door hardware, bed rails, and handrails.
Source: ICHE randomized trial on copper surfaces
- Privacy curtain strategy that recognizes contamination patterns
Privacy curtains are frequently and rapidly contaminated and should be specified for easy removal and frequent laundering or replaced with wipeable alternatives where feasible.
Sources: AJIC curtain contamination study, CDC disinfection and sterilization
- Fabrics and upholstery chosen for cleanability over novelty
Select coated, nonporous, healthcare-grade textiles that tolerate your disinfectants and meet performance standards. Evidence for impregnated “antimicrobial” textiles is mixed, so focus on cleanability, durability, and comfort.
Sources: CDC disinfection and sterilization, Review of antimicrobial surfaces
- Clear separation of clean and dirty flows
Plan obvious, physical separations for clean storage, soiled utility, and waste. Provide hands-free doors where possible and short, direct routes that avoid crossing paths.
Source: CDC core IPC practices
- Hands-free hardware that still cleans well
Use lever handles, wave plates, and foot pulls to reduce touches. Select simple geometries and nonporous finishes that can be wiped quickly and thoroughly.
Source: CDC core IPC practices
- Bathroom design that contains bioaerosols and soils
Provide lids on toilets where local codes allow, strong local exhaust, slip-resistant nonporous floors, and generous, wipeable splash zones around basins.
Sources: CDC environmental infection control, ASHRAE healthcare ventilation
- Cohorting and surge-isolation layouts that are easy to operate
Use doors, anteroom-like vestibules, and clear sightlines to create temporary isolation zones without major construction. Pair this with local exhaust and portable HEPA units when needed.
Sources: ASHRAE 241, CDC ventilation
- Housekeeping staging designed into the plan
Provide built-in storage for mops, wipes, and PPE at the point of use. Give teams places to park carts outside rooms without blocking corridors.
Source: CDC core IPC practices
- Door and wall interfaces that do not leak sound or air and that wipe clean
Gasketed doors at resident rooms that need rest and isolation, corner guards that resist impact and clean easily, and sealed penetrations so there are fewer hidden reservoirs.
Source: CDC environmental infection control
- Education baked into the environment
Use simple, friendly reminders at sinks and dispensers and add visual cues that support proper donning and doffing. Design that supports habit formation improves adherence.
Source: WHO hand hygiene guideline
- Commissioning and post-occupancy checks for infection-control performance
Measure airflow, verify filter fit and pressure drops, confirm UVGI output, and spot-check cleaning compatibility. Audit splash zones and high-touch points after the building opens and adjust.
Sources: ASHRAE 241, CDC environmental infection control
Why infection-control is a design issue in assisted living
Assisted living residents are older and often live with chronic disease, which increases susceptibility to respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Pathogens persist on common surfaces from hours to months, and extended survival is well documented for many healthcare-relevant species. Bathrooms, sinks, and high-touch objects concentrate risk, and air and water systems can amplify problems if not managed. The design team’s job is to reduce exposure opportunities, shorten the path to cleaning, and help staff follow best practices with less effort.
Sources: Pathogen persistence review, CDC environmental infection control
Design rules you can implement now
Air first
Raise clean air delivery with outdoor air, better filtration, portable HEPA, and UVGI where appropriate. Confirm air changes and equivalent clean air per ASHRAE 241 and local codes.
Sources: ASHRAE 241, CDC ventilation
Water hygiene by design
Keep hot water hot enough per your water management program, minimize stagnation in dead legs, select faucets and sinks that resist contamination, and maintain backflow prevention.
Sources: ASHRAE 188, CDC Legionella toolkit
Surfaces that actually get clean
Prefer monolithic floors with integral cove, solid-surface or high-pressure laminate tops with sealed edges, and simple profiles on casework pulls. Confirm disinfectant compatibility against EPA Lists N and Q.
Sources: EPA List N, EPA List Q
Plan the flows
Give clean and dirty materials separate routes. Provide a soiled utility near care clusters and place housekeeping closets so staff do not travel long distances with contaminated items.
Source: CDC core IPC practices
Design for hand hygiene in motion
Put dispensers where hands need cleaning, not where walls look empty. That means entries, bedside positions, dining room doors, activity rooms, and rehab spaces, with paper towels at sinks.
Sources: CDC hand hygiene guideline, Hand drying review
Choose evidence-supported antimicrobial strategies
Use copper alloy touchpoints where they are truly touched and can be maintained. Be skeptical of unvalidated coatings. Build the cleaning plan around surfaces that withstand your chemistries and around frequencies that match recontamination.
Sources: Copper surfaces trial, CDC disinfection and sterilization
Room by room application
Resident rooms
- Solid-core doors with perimeter gasketing where quiet and isolation matter.
- Nonporous tops, minimal seams, wipeable window treatments, and privacy curtains that can be laundered quickly or replaced with hard partitions where appropriate.
- Dedicated hand rub at entry and bedside.
- Local HEPA unit during respiratory season or outbreaks as needed.
Sources: CDC environmental infection control, CDC ventilation
Bathrooms
- Deep basins with offset drains and splash-controlled faucets.
- Strong local exhaust to the outdoors and slip-resistant, coved floors.
- Toilet lids where permitted and wipeable wall panels behind fixtures.
Sources: CDC environmental infection control, ASHRAE healthcare ventilation
Dining and activity rooms
- High clean air delivery and strong surface cleanability.
- Chair arms and tables with simple profiles that wipe fast.
- Traffic layouts that keep bus tubs and soiled carts away from seated residents.
Sources: CDC environmental infection control
Corridors and entries
- Durable, seamless floors with coved base and corner guards that clean quickly.
- Hands-free door hardware where appropriate.
- Housekeeping alcoves sized for carts so corridors stay clear.
Source: CDC core IPC practices
Soiled utility and housekeeping
- Separate mop sinks from handwashing sinks.
- Install storage for wipes, PPE, and disinfectants that matches the cleaning sequence.
- Provide good exhaust and cleanable finishes.
Source: CDC disinfection and sterilization
How HH Designers puts it into practice
- Evidence mapping and targets
We set air, water, surface, and workflow targets that align with ASHRAE 241 and 188, CDC core infection-control practices, and your state survey requirements.
Sources: ASHRAE 241, ASHRAE 188, CDC core IPC practices
- Details that prevent harborage and splash
We specify welded seams, coved bases, sealed penetrations, deep sinks with offset drains, and faucet streams that reduce splash to adjacent worktops and equipment.
Source: CDC environmental infection control
- Validated materials and chemistries
We vet surfaces and fabrics against your disinfectants and list the approved options in the Spec Book so replacements do not compromise cleanability.
Sources: EPA List N, EPA List Q
- Air upgrades that fit your building
We model central filtration limits and supplement with portable HEPA or UVGI where it makes sense. We plan outlets and parking for units so they are easy to deploy during surges.
Sources: CDC ventilation, NIOSH UVGI
- Commissioning and post-occupancy audits
We verify ventilation, filtration, and UVGI performance, confirm water-system controls are in place, and walk Environmental Services routes to remove friction.
Sources: ASHRAE 241, CDC Legionella toolkit
Quick specification checklist
- Air: MERV 13 or higher where feasible, portable HEPA in high-risk rooms, UVGI where appropriate, and commissioning to ASHRAE 241 concepts.
Sources: ASHRAE 241, CDC ventilation
- Water: Facility water management program per ASHRAE 188 with CDC toolkit.
Sources: ASHRAE 188, CDC toolkit
- Surfaces: Seamless floors with coves, nonporous tops, simple hardware geometry, materials compatible with EPA List N and List Q products.
Sources: EPA List N, EPA List Q
- High-touch points: Consider copper alloy for select hardware and rails in high-traffic zones.
Source: Copper surfaces trial
- Hand hygiene: ABHR at points of care, paper towels at sinks, and splash-controlled basin and faucet design.
Sources: CDC hand hygiene, Hand drying review
- Curtains and textiles: Easy-change curtains or wipeable alternatives and coated textiles that tolerate your disinfectants.
Sources: AJIC study, CDC disinfection
Outcomes you can expect
- Lower bioburden on air and surfaces through ventilation, filtration, UVGI, and cleanable materials that match your disinfectants.
Sources: ASHRAE 241, CDC environmental infection control
- Fewer transmission opportunities in daily workflows through better zoning, staging, and hands-free access.
Source: CDC core IPC practices
- Faster, more consistent cleaning because surfaces, seams, and hardware are chosen for rapid, reliable disinfection.
Sources: EPA List N, EPA List Q
Update your facility for patient health
Handrails matter, but infection-control in assisted living is a whole-building choreography. When air, water, surfaces, and workflows align with evidence and with the way your teams actually work, residents stay healthier and staff spend more time caring and less time firefighting. HH Designers brings that science into warm, welcoming spaces that still feel like home.
