E24 – The Codes, They Are A-Changin’: A Sneak Peek at the 2026 FGI Guidelines
Exciting changes await users of the Facility Guidelines Institute library of documents. Introducing the 2026 FGI Code for Planning and Design of Residential Care and Support Settings and its complementary FGI Handbook. These new and improved documents expand the capabilities and resources available to FGI users through enhanced online interface options and additional explanatory guideline options. The FGI Residential Code provides baseline requirements for the design and construction of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice facilities, independent living settings, adult daycare facilities and wellness centers. The companion FGI Handbook offers explanatory guidance of the code and additional best practices information to supplement the code minimum requirements. Revisions to the 2026 document to be discussed include an added table outlining building typologies, added resident room size and capacity requirements; revised laundry requirements; clarity of the application of requirements for household models; clarity on dining space requirements; the addition of requirements for facilities serving individuals of size; the addition of dialysis requirements; and the addition of a chapter specific to residential mental and behavioral health facilities. Learn about these changes, how they affect the design and construction of residential care facilities and how you can contribute to the 2030 revision cycle.
Speakers
More Information
Related Sessions
E04 – The ROI of Injury Prevention: Long-Term Savings Through Smarter Interior Design
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among o…Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among older adults—and one of the most significant cost drivers in senior living communities. Yet many of these incidents are preventable through thoughtful, evidence-based design. This d…Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among older adults—and one of the most significant cost drivers in senior living communities. Yet many of these incidents are preventable through thoughtful, evidence-based design. This dynamic panel discussion will explore how environmental interventions can reduce fall risk while delivering measurable long-term financial returns. Featuring a multidisciplinary panel—covering senior …Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations among older adults—and one of the most significant cost drivers in senior living communities. Yet many of these incidents are preventable through thoughtful, evidence-based design. This dynamic panel discussion will explore how environmental interventions can reduce fall risk while delivering measurable long-term financial returns. Featuring a multidisciplinary panel—covering senior living development, architecture and designer, senior care operations, and gerontology—this session will present a 360-degree view of injury prevention through design. Panelists will share data-backed insights, project case studies, and economic modeling to demonstrate how investing in smarter interior environments pays off in reduced hospitalizations, improved resident well-being, staff satisfaction, and operational savings. Whether you’re specifying materials, designing spaces, or managing care outcomes, this session will equip you with the tools to advocate for design decisions that support both safety and financial sustainability.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E09 – Designing for Sleep: An Evidence-Based, Team-Driven Approach to Senior Wellness
Sleep is emerging as a critical determinant of health in senior living…Sleep is emerging as a critical determinant of health in senior living—and yet, despite mounting evidence linking sleep quality to cognitive function, mood, immune response, and longevity, design professionals remain largely excluded from sleep-focus…Sleep is emerging as a critical determinant of health in senior living—and yet, despite mounting evidence linking sleep quality to cognitive function, mood, immune response, and longevity, design professionals remain largely excluded from sleep-focused interventions. This session challenges the outdated view of design as a passive backdrop, repositioning it as an active clinical tool. Through a multidisciplinary case study rooted in both clinical…Sleep is emerging as a critical determinant of health in senior living—and yet, despite mounting evidence linking sleep quality to cognitive function, mood, immune response, and longevity, design professionals remain largely excluded from sleep-focused interventions. This session challenges the outdated view of design as a passive backdrop, repositioning it as an active clinical tool. Through a multidisciplinary case study rooted in both clinical and design research, we explore how circadian science, thermoregulation, acoustic mapping, and lighting protocols can be strategically leveraged to improve sleep architecture in memory care settings. Participants will examine how built environments can support both resident and staff wellness, reduce hospital transfers, and mitigate the daily challenges associated with poor sleep. The session highlights how embedding design professionals within multidisciplinary care teams—from project inception through operations—can improve long-term outcomes and operational performance. With bioscience and neuroscience advancing rapidly, the design profession is being called to evolve. Architects, engineers, operators, and developers are invited to reimagine the built environment not as a static container, but as a dynamic, biologically-attuned asset. Attendees will leave with evidence-based strategies to align design with human health—transforming senior living environments into tools for healing and longevity.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E14 – Wayfinding Performance in Long-Term Care Facilities: The Role of Spatial Configuration
Wayfinding in older adults has been recognized as an essential yet cha…Wayfinding in older adults has been recognized as an essential yet challenging aspect of daily functioning due to age-related cognitive decline. As such, the design of LTC facilities plays a critical role in supporting wayfinding, facilitating essent…Wayfinding in older adults has been recognized as an essential yet challenging aspect of daily functioning due to age-related cognitive decline. As such, the design of LTC facilities plays a critical role in supporting wayfinding, facilitating essential activities, and promoting residents’ independence. Therefore, this session aims to examine how spatial qualities of LTC facilities can predict residents’ wayfinding performance. Fifteen LTC facili…Wayfinding in older adults has been recognized as an essential yet challenging aspect of daily functioning due to age-related cognitive decline. As such, the design of LTC facilities plays a critical role in supporting wayfinding, facilitating essential activities, and promoting residents’ independence. Therefore, this session aims to examine how spatial qualities of LTC facilities can predict residents’ wayfinding performance. Fifteen LTC facilities in the U.S. were selected, and the wayfinding performance of a total of 125 older adult residents was evaluated through predefined navigation tasks of three levels of complexity. The design typology was identified based on corridor structure (linear, branched, and courtyard). In addition to typical route characteristics (i.e., length, turns, floors visited), key spatial metrics of the floor plans were analyzed using Space Syntax methods. Stepwise regression models and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyze the relationship between the spatial characteristics of the floor plans, typologies, and route features on wayfinding performance. Findings show that spatial layout impacts wayfinding performance, even when residents’ individual health and cognitive conditions are considered. The LTC facility typology has also played a role in residents’ wayfinding performance. The findings can inform the architectural design of LTC facilities, ultimately enhancing residents’ autonomy and quality of life.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
