Breakrooms can either restore caregivers or reinforce the stress of the workday. In this study of six long-term care communities, the most-used breakrooms were not always the closest ones, but the ones that created a sense of separation. Privacy, acoustic calm, natural light, and freedom from stored supplies all contributed to whether staff could truly step away and reset.

Does your long term care community feel like home, or like a workplace with residents? A home should be intuitive and supportive on its own, without signs and reminders on the walls. In this article, I explore how staffing, design choices, and organizational culture work together to shape whether long term care truly feels like home.