Housing research for greater efficiency and cohesion in nursing homes
For a large care group in Turnhout, Meliopus conducted a housing study. The goal? To align the existing mix of buildings and operations to optimize efficiency and collaboration.
The client:
Zorggroep Orion provides services for people with care needs or questions about support. The group operates in and around Turnhout and consists of local service centers, a community center, assisted living facilities, residential care centers, and a day care facility. Orion’s mission is to deliver high-quality care to those in need, under the best possible circumstances.
The assignment:
Located on Albert Van Dyckstraat in Turnhout are the residential care center De Vliet, the service center Albert van Dyck, and the assisted living facility De Dijk — all part of Zorggroep Orion. The wide range of activities and sub-organizations has resulted in a mix of building types and architectural styles. This lack of homogeneity has hindered cohesion and collaboration. Additionally, changing needs in occupational and physical therapy required additional space. The care group enlisted Meliopus to establish a unified vision across these facilities through an adjusted interior and to explore options for integrating the evolving ways of working.
Our approach:
1) Introductory discussions with key stakeholders
To better understand Zorggroep Orion’s diverse operations at these facilities, we held several discussions with key stakeholders, including nurses, occupational and physical therapists, administrative staff, cafeteria employees, management, and residents. These conversations provided a clear understanding of their expectations, needs, and desires in terms of experience, space, and logistics. This input formed the foundation for our concept.
2) Structural and technical assessment of an adjacent building
The client proposed repurposing an adjacent former monastery to house the administrative offices. Meliopus conducted a thorough structural and technical assessment of this building, engaging experienced architects and a consultancy firm to ensure accurate evaluation. It quickly became evident that renovating this property would incur excessive costs and still fail to meet the functional needs.
The result:
The stakeholder insights and the negative report on the monastery led to a decisive conclusion: patching significant issues would not yield meaningful results. We advised Zorggroep Orion to postpone extensive renovations in the short term but to integrate all findings from our analysis into a comprehensive long-term master plan for the site. The further implementation and follow-up of this plan now rest with the care group.
While these studies did not lead to a subsequent project for Meliopus, our approach reflected our commitment to finding the best solution for the client. Proposing a full reorganization or alternative studies would have left the client with a financial burden, which is not how Meliopus operates. Instead, we strive for precise and thoughtful solutions that prioritize our clients’ operations and budget. Without tailored and honest advice, true service excellence is unattainable.
