Centro de atención integral para el adulto mayor autovalente en la comuna 1 de Bucaramanga

Abstract

In Bucaramanga, current senior care centers lack adequate spaces for self-reliant elderly individuals, limiting their access to preventive healthcare and social support, thus increasing the risk of isolation and physical and mental deterioration. Despite efforts by the government and the local administration to construct “Centros Vida”, the growing demand for elderly care has not been efficiently addressed. To tackle this issue, an Integrated Senior Care Center has been designed in “Comuna 1” with the aim of providing specialized care and improving the quality of life for self reliant elderly individuals. The project is based on the framework of “Active Aging” and “Person Centered Care” as proposed by the World Health Organization (OMS, 2020), which promotes health, participation, and safety to enhance the quality of life in old age. The proposal includes spaces for recreation, preventive therapies, gardens, multipurpose classrooms, and transitional housing, fostering socialization, mental health, and disease prevention. The design aims to be an architectural landmark in Bucaramanga, with accessible, functional, and sustainable spaces that support the autonomy and self-care of the elderly. The design process was developed in four phases: needs identification, context analysis, typology study, and architectural development based on an anthropometric study. The result is a design that promotes dignified and active aging, ensuring the social, psychological, and physical well-being of elderly individuals, while increasing the coverage of specialized services in “Comuna 1” by 9.72%.