IJIRST –International Journal for Innovative Research in Science & Technology| Volume 1 | Issue 3 | August 2014 ISSN(online) : 2349-6010 All rights reserved by www.ijirst.com 90 Exploring Technological and Architectural Solutions for Nursing Home Residents,Care Professionals and Technical Staff: Focus Groups With Professional Stakeholders J. van Hoof A.M.C. Dooremalen Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Fontys EGT - Centre for Healthcare and Technology, Dominee Theodor Fliednerstraat 2, 5631 BN Eindhoven, The Netherlands Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Nursing, Department of Applied Gerontology, Dominee Theodor Fliednerstraat 2, 5631 BN Eindhoven, The Netherlands M.H. Wetzels H.T.G. Weffers Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Industrial Design, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands E.J.M. Wouters Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Allied Health Professions, Dominee Theodor Fliednerstraat 2, 5631 BN Eindhoven, The Netherlands Abstract Buildings with innovative technologies and architectural solutions are needed as a means of support for future nursing homes alongside adequate care services. This study investigated how various groups of stakeholders from healthcare and technology envision the nursing home of the future in the presumed perspective of residents, care professionals and technical staff. This qualitative study gathered data via ten simultaneous monodisciplinary focus group sessions with 95 professional stakeholders. The sessions yielded eight main themes: person and well-being; relatives and interaction; care technology; safety and security; interior design, architecture and the built environment; vision and knowledge; communication; and maintenance and operation. These themes can be used for programming future nursing homes, and for prioritising design and technological solutions. The views between the groups of stakeholders are to a large extent similar, and the personal needs of the residents are the most prominent factor for practice. Keywords: Buildings, design, qualitative, older adults, technology, dementia. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ I. INTRODUCTION The way long-term care settings are designed, constructed, used and maintained is in a process of transformation, in which both the character and appearance of buildings is noticeably changing [1-4]. The design and construction of nursing homes is a complex and dynamic process, as the very design of these buildings forces us to consider the technology-human interface directly in terms of living-space, ethics and social priorities [5,6]. Technology and architectural solutions are considered to support the well-being, activities of daily living and quality of life of older residents, and support and optimize the work processes of healthcare professionals and professionals in the domain of maintenance [1,2,7,8]. There are approximately 65,000 persons residing in about 700 Dutch nursing homes [9]. Van Hoof et al. [1,2] investigated the innovations known to the professional stakeholders who are involved in the design of nursing homes or are engaged in the care delivery processes. The nursing home is a specific type of care facility for which a large array of technological innovations are available on the marketplace. These innovations often do not make it into the programmes of newly constructed or refurbished facilities for financial constraints and for being unknown to the design and construction teams. Moreover, innovations are often only familiar to specific stakeholders, and therefore, are not purchased at all, or not accepted by the end-users as they have not been involved in the purchase and implementation plans. In recent studies [1,2], it was found that the two main groups of stakeholders, representatives from the domains of healthcare and technology/architecture share the same opinions about technological innovations in nursing home care, but each focus on different aspects. These most important professional stakeholders are often not involved in the design process of nursing homes. It is expected that these two groups have different views and it is, therefore, challenging, to involve both groups and include their needs. Still, it is unknown what