Ending the single versus multi-bedroom debate: Hybrid rooms meet stroke rehabilitation needs

 Multi-bedrooms should NOT BE USED! The morning vampires came almost every morning way too early and wake everyone up! Social interactions never occurred; differing rehab schedules and extreme fatigue prevented any interaction. And Julie Bernhardt is a rock star stroke researcher, which shows you that even rock stars can't know everything without consulting stroke survivors!

Ending the single versus multi-bedroom debate: Hybrid rooms meet stroke rehabilitation needs

• Marcus White ,
• Mark Huen Choong Lam,
• Tianyi Yang,
• Ruby Lipson-Smith,
• Juan Pablo Saa,
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
   
• Aaron Davis,
• Mehrnoush Latifi Khorasgani,
• Julie Bernhardt,
• on behalf of NOVELL Redesign 

Published: September 3, 2026

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0356623

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and stroke rehabilitation plays a critical role in recovery. Early rehabilitation often occurs in a hospital setting, but the hospital built environment is rarely designed to support the specific needs and priorities of people who have had a stroke. In recent decades, there has been an ongoing debate regarding the benefits of single versus multi-bed rooms in healthcare settings. This debate centres around balancing privacy and rest, with social interaction and safety. While single rooms may be beneficial for some people, multi-bed rooms may be better for others. Both options, however, come with their own set of drawbacks in the context of stroke rehabilitation. In this study, we conducted a collaborative Living Lab to design a series of provocative-prototype hybrid room typologies that merged different aspects of single and multi-bed rooms to provide options specific for stroke rehabilitation. These typologies were used to generate four alternative bedroom designs which were modelled in virtual reality. The designs were informed by a values-based brief, outlining a set of predefined key criteria for optimising stroke rehabilitation environments: opportunities for activity and rest, wellbeing, safety, efficiency, flexibility, personal control, access to outdoors and green space, and access to a positive and stimulating environment. Twenty lived-experience and professional experts evaluated these virtual designs against the predefined values-based criteria. Evaluation revealed two preferred hybrid hospital room designs that incorporated beneficial features of both multi-bed and single-bed rooms. Our approach of values-based design and evaluation within a virtual environment proved an effective means of generating and evaluating design options with meaningful input from a wide range of stakeholders. These findings highlight the potential for flexible and adaptable room design to meet the specific needs and priorities of people participating in early-stage rehabilitation after stroke.

Figures

      

Citation: White M, Lam MHC, Yang T, Lipson-Smith R, Saa JP, Davis A, et al. (2026) Ending the single versus multi-bedroom debate: Hybrid rooms meet stroke rehabilitation needs. PLoS One 21(9): e0356623. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0356623

Editor: Ruixin Liang, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HONG KONG

Received: December 2, 2025; Accepted: August 5, 2026; Published: September 3, 2026

Once Daily, 10 Minute Rehab Maybe Be Enough in Mild Stroke

 You are truly going to have to scream at anyone who suggests this! In no way will this guarantee 100% recovery! This is absolutely appalling! And Julie Bernhardt is a rock star stroke researcher, which shows you that even rock stars can be completely wrong!

Oops, I'm not playing by the polite rules of Dale Carnegie,  'How to Win Friends and Influence People'. 

Telling your supposedly smart stroke medical 'professionals' they know nothing about stroke is a no-no even if it is true. 

Politeness will never solve anything in stroke. Yes, I'm a bomb thrower and proud of it. Someday a stroke 'leader' will try to ream me out for making them look bad by being truthful, I look forward to that day.

Once Daily, 10 Minute Rehab Maybe Be Enough in Mild Stroke

A new clinical trial has produced the most reliable information to date on the optimum level of early rehabilitation appropriate for patients with acute stroke.

The AVERT DOSE trial has suggested that in the initial days after an acute stroke, just 10 minutes of active training per day is sufficient for patients with mild stroke, while patients with moderate stroke could benefit from slightly higher levels of exercise training split into two separate sessions.

“The AVERT DOSE trial, while underpowered, provides current best available evidence to guide early training after an acute stroke,” said lead investigator, professor Julie Bernhardt, PhD, The Florey Institute, Melbourne, Australia.

“Our trial shows that the protocolized training tested can feasibly be delivered in multiple settings and is safe(And you blithering idiots think that 'safe is what survivors want? THEY WANT 100% RECOVERY and 10 minutes won't do that!),” she added.

Article Key Points

The AVERT DOSE trial suggests that 10 minutes of daily active training may suffice for mild stroke patients, while moderate stroke patients benefit from two 10-minute sessions. The interventions are safe and adaptable across various settings.

The findings suggest that for patients with mild stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] 0-7), a single 10-minute session of active, task-specific training supported by nurses during upright daily activities may be sufficient for most patients, with no clear evidence that higher-intensity training provides additional benefit, Bernhardt said.(You're totally ignoring survivor requirements of 100% recovery!)

For patients with moderate stroke severity (NIHSS, 8-16), the findings suggest that two separate 10-minute sessions of active, task-specific training supported by nurses during upright daily activities provided clinically meaningful benefits compared with a single session.

In both cases the 10 minutes of active training refers to only the active practice time and does not include preparation or rest periods in between activity, so the session itself would take significantly longer than 10 minutes.

The trial results were presented on May 6 at the European Stroke Organization Conference (ESOC) 2026.

A Vital Early Poststroke Goal

Bernhardt explained that regaining movement is a vital early goal after stroke, but important questions remain about how soon rehabilitation should begin and how much training is beneficial. Those uncertainties have persisted since the first AVERT trial, reported in 2015, showed that very early intensive mobilization — initiated within 24 hours of stroke onset — worsened outcomes(You absolute fucking idiots ignored the neuronal cascade of death 

 in the first week killing off hundreds of millions to billions of neurons. Of course, you are going to worsen, neurons are dying by the score early on!) compared with lower-dose usual care, with the greatest adverse effects seen in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and severe stroke.

“This very early intensive therapy appeared to be too much, too soon and but there has remained a lack of clear evidence on the optimal timing and intensity for rehabilitation training,” Bernhardt noted 

To address this issue the researchers conducted the AVERT DOSE trial.

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from the original AVERT trial to identify intervention doses with the most favorable safety and efficacy profiles, then evaluated those dosing strategies in the new trial that excluded patients with ICH and severe stroke.

The study enrolled 1000 patients across 50 hospitals in seven countries, including Australia, Brazil, India, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, and the UK.

Participants were stratified by stroke severity, with 631 patients in the mild stroke group and 366 in the moderate stroke group and randomly assigned to one of four mobility training regimens.

All interventions were initiated within 48 hours of stroke onset (mean, 38 hours) and continued for 14 days or until hospital discharge. The interventions focused on functional, task-specific upright movement tailored to each patient and delivered by trained physiotherapists.

Participants were stratified by stroke severity, with 631 patients in the mild stroke group and 366 in the moderate stroke group and randomized to one of four mobility training regimens. All interventions were initiated within 48 hours of stroke onset (mean, 38 hours) and continued for 14 days or until hospital discharge.

Rehabilitation Environments: New Insights to Guide Stroke Inpatient Service Redesign

 You're not thinking properly; there's tons of research just needing followup and use that to CREATE EXACT REHAB PROTOCOLS!  

You're missing the point; you don't understand how research should work? Create EXACT REHAB PROTOCOLS AND GET SURVIVORS RECOVERED! 

See, that's not difficult to understand, is it? 

Delivering that is hard, so get to fucking work!

Oops I shouldn't take superstar Julie Bernhardt's name in vain! Call me and we can discuss where to go from here.

Prof Julie Bernhardt (13 posts to February 2018)

Rehabilitation Environments: New Insights to Guide Stroke Inpatient Service Redesign

 Juan Pablo Saa, PhD, MPH, OTD, BSc https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5483-3559 saajp@outlook.com 

Ruby Lipson-Smith PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1702-8144 

Marcus White, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2238-9251 

Aaron Davis PhD, MBA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1477-7406&nbp;

Rhonda Kerr PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4482-9323 

Julie Bernhardt PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2787-8484 on behalf of NOVELL redesign Author Info & Affiliations Stroke Volume 57 Number 1 https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.125.051390 

BACKGROUND:

Inpatient rehabilitation plays a pivotal role in the stroke recovery continuum. We have previously shown how rehabilitation clinical guidelines and health care design guidelines may not fully align to support recovery needs. Building on our previous work describing the current stroke inpatient rehabilitation service, we aimed to articulate and propose recommendations for an optimal inpatient service through the integration of stakeholder feedback, clinical guidelines, and health care design principles.

 

METHODS:

We used value-focused thinking, living-lab, and codesign principles to evaluate a re-imagined stroke rehabilitation service.(But you incorrectly are not imagining 100% recovery, WHICH IS WHERE YOU COMPLETELY FAILED!) Participants reviewed 21 care process activity blocks derived from our previous work, with proposed changes to the admission, discharge processes, and weekday routines (morning, afternoon, and evening) of a typical Australian inpatient stroke service. Participants used an agreement scale to rate the proposed changes against predefined objectives focusing on safety, efficiency, emotional well-being, and opportunities for practice, rest, and autonomy. The reimagined stroke service was reviewed and iteratively refined through further validation sessions with selected participants.

RESULTS:

Twenty-six stakeholders participated in our evaluation, including stroke survivors, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, and health care facility designers and planners. Nineteen activity blocks were rated, generating 152 individual votes and 15 recommendations for service improvement. Overall, the agreement rate across all proposed changes was 76%. The highest agreement was observed in the evening (100%) and admission (81%) blocks, with strong endorsement for improved information delivery and environmental flexibility. Lower agreement was noted for discharge (61%), reflecting the complexity and varied perspectives on transition planning. Validation with 7 participants confirmed the relevance and feasibility of most proposed changes, especially those that support personalization, autonomy, and early engagement.

CONCLUSIONS:

 Stakeholder-informed redesign of stroke rehabilitation services can enhance alignment between clinical processes and environmental enablers. These findings offer a practical foundation for codesigned models of care that are both evidence-based and experientially grounded. 

Get full access to this article

Re-Imagining Hospital Patient Room Design for People After stroke: A Randomized Controlled Study Using Virtual Reality

This was known earlier; 

Stroke survivors denied best chance of recovery by rehab design December 2023

 My ideas:

1. Single rooms because then you don't have the blood vampires waking everybody up in the quad at 7 am every morning.

2. Green spaces easily available ;  

   Can living near parks and lakes boost your mental health? A 10-year study says yes October 2023 

   Green space linked to reduced risk of heart disease and stroke January 2019 

3. Blue space visibility: blue space (5 posts to May 2016); blue water (2 posts to October 2019)

4. Proper lighting: blue light (8 posts to February 2017); 

    flickering light (3 posts to July 2020); 

    bright light therapy (2 posts to February 2017);  

   bright light stimulation (2 posts to April 2017); 

    60 Hertz flickering light (3 posts to July 2021);  

   40 Hertz flickering light (4 posts to July 2021);  

   intermittent light exposure (1 post to March 2021); 

    light exposure (1 post to August 2022); 

    low-level laser/light therapy (3 posts to ecember 2014);  

   naturalistic light (2 posts to August 2019); 

    near infrared light (6 posts to August 2015);

    near-infrared light (5 posts to December 2014);  

   neurofilament light (7 posts to April 2018);  

   red light (1 post to May 2023); 

    ultraviolet light (2 posts to May 2018)

   5. Large screen TV to display the hundreds of hours of action observation videos your competent hospital has on hand. Oh, you don't have a functioning stroke hospital, do you?

Re-Imagining Hospital Patient Room Design for People After stroke: A Randomized Controlled Study Using Virtual Reality

Michelle M. Shannon, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6805-078X michelle.shannon@monash.edu, Marcus White, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2238-9251, Leonid Churilov, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9807-6606, Tianyi Yang, BArch, Ruby Lipson-Smith, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1702-8144, Marie Elf, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7044-8896, John Olver, PhD, and Julie Bernhardt, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2787-8484Author Info & Affiliations

Stroke

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Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The hospital’s physical environment can impact health and well-being. Patients spend most of their time in their hospital rooms. However, little experimental evidence supports specific physical design variables in these rooms, particularly for people poststroke. The study aimed to explore the influence of patient room design variables modeled in virtual reality using a controlled experimental design.

METHODS:

Adults within 3 years of stroke who had spent >2 nights in hospital for stroke and were able to consent were included (Melbourne, Australia). Using a factorial design, we immersed participants in 16 different virtual hospital patient rooms in both daytime and nighttime conditions, systematically varying design attributes: patient room occupancy, social connectivity, room size (spaciousness), noise (nighttime), greenery outlook (daytime). While immersed, participants rated their affect (Pick-A-Mood Scale) and preference. Mixed-effect regression analyses were used to explore participant responses to design variables in both daytime and nighttime conditions. Feasibility and safety were monitored throughout. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, Trial ID: ACTRN12620000375954.

RESULTS:

Forty-four adults (median age, 67 [interquartile range, 57.3–73.8] years, 61.4% male, and a third with stroke in the prior 3–6 months) completed the study in 2019–2020. We recorded and analyzed 701 observations of affective responses (Pick-A-Mood Scale) in the daytime (686 at night) and 698 observations of preference responses in the daytime (685 nighttime) while continuously immersed in the virtual reality scenarios. Although single rooms were most preferred overall (daytime and nighttime), the relationship between affective responses differed in response to different combinations of nighttime noise, social connectivity, and greenery outlook (daytime). The virtual reality scenario intervention was feasible and safe for stroke participants.

CONCLUSIONS:

Immediate affective responses can be influenced by exposure to physical design variables other than room occupancy alone. Virtual reality testing of how the physical environment influences patient responses and, ultimately, outcomes could inform how we design new interventions for people recovering after stroke.

REGISTRATION:

URL: https://anzctr.org.au; Unique identifier: ACTRN12620000375954.

Motor Impairment and Recovery in the Upper Limb After Stroke: Behavioral and Neuroanatomical Correlates

 Even superstars like Julie Bernhardt don't create protocols from research to get stroke survivors recovered! Who then will actually create recovery protocols? SPECIFIC NAMES ONLY!

Motor Impairment and Recovery in the Upper Limb After Stroke: Behavioral and Neuroanatomical Correlates

2005, Stroke

Leeanne M. Carey, PhD; David F. Abbott, PhD; Gary F. Egan, PhD; Julie Bernhardt, PhD; Geoffrey A. Donnan, MD  

 

Background and Purpose

 

 Motor recovery after stroke is associated with cerebral reorganization. However, few studies have investigated the relationship directly, and findings are equivocal. We therefore aimed to characterize the relationship between motor impairment, motor recovery, and task-related changes in regional cerebral blood flow (△rCBF) longitudinally.  

 

Methods

 

 We obtained a profile of motor impairment and recovery in the upper limb and conducted positron emission tomography motor activation studies using a simple finger-tapping task in 9 stroke patients 2 to 7 weeks after stroke and 6 months later. For correlation analysis, mean images of task-related ⊿rCBF for each individual were linearly regressed with motor impairment scores. Motor recovery was correlated with longitudinal ⊿rCBF images.  

 

Results—Patients 

(7 males; 72.0±9.8 years) demonstrated a wide range of impairment severity and variable recovery. Upper-limb motor function was linearly correlated with task-related △rCBF. Importantly, sites of correlated ⊿rCBF differed over time. Subacutely correlated △rCBF was observed in supplementary motor area (SMA), bilateral cingulate, and contralesional insula with a small area in ipsilesional primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1). Conversely, at the 6-month study, correlated △rCBF was primarily in ipsilesional SM1, extending to the cingulate gyrus. Better motor recovery was correlated with reduction in contralesional activity and increase in ipsilesional SM1.  

 

Conclusions

 

 Upper-limb motor function and recovery are correlated with △rCBF in SMA, cingulate, insula, and SM1, highlighting the role of these areas in the recovery process. The dynamic nature of the relationship suggests ongoing adaptation within motor networks. (Stroke. 2005;36:625-629.)

Motor Impairment and Recovery in the Upper Limb After Stroke: Behavioral and Neuroanatomical Correlates by Julie Bernhardt

 Even stroke superstars like Julie Bernhardt don't produce research that gets survivors recovered(Creating protocols!). All because there is NO leadership in stroke directing researchers to solve stroke for survivor benefits!

• Prof Julie Bernhardt (10 posts to February 2018)

Motor Impairment and Recovery in the Upper Limb After Stroke: Behavioral and Neuroanatomical Correlates by Julie Bernhardt

Leeanne M. Carey, PhD; David F. Abbott, PhD; Gary F. Egan, PhD; Julie Bernhardt, PhD; Geoffrey A. Donnan, MD  

 

Background and Purpose 

 

Motor recovery after stroke is associated with cerebral reorganization. However, few studies have investigated the relationship directly, and findings are equivocal. We therefore aimed to characterize the relationship between motor impairment, motor recovery, and task-related changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) longitudinally.  

 

Methods 

 

We obtained a profile of motor impairment and recovery in the upper limb and conducted positron emission tomography motor activation studies using a simple finger-tapping task in 9 stroke patients 2 to 7 weeks after stroke and 6 months later. For correlation analysis, mean images of task-related rCBF for each individual were linearly regressed with motor impairment scores. Motor recovery was correlated with longitudinal rCBF images.  

 

Results

 

 Patients (7 males; 72.09.8 years) demonstrated a wide range of impairment severity and variable recovery. Upper-limb motor function was linearly correlated with task-related rCBF. Importantly, sites of correlated rCBF differed over time. Subacutely correlated rCBF was observed in supplementary motor area (SMA), bilateral cingulate, and contralesional insula with a small area in ipsilesional primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1). Conversely, at the 6-month study, correlated rCBF was primarily in ipsilesional SM1, extending to the cingulate gyrus. Better motor recovery was correlated with reduction in contralesional activity and increase in ipsilesional SM1.  

 

Conclusions

 

 Upper-limb motor function and recovery are correlated with rCBF in SMA, cingulate, insula, and SM1, highlighting the role of these areas in the recovery process. The dynamic nature of the relationship suggests ongoing adaptation within motor networks. (Stroke. 2005;36:625-629.)

Evolution of Brain Activation with Good and Poor Motor Recovery after Stroke

I can't see anything here that helps with recovery! It describes something but how that helps recovery eludes me.

Evolution of Brain Activation with Good and Poor Motor Recovery after Stroke

Leeanne M. Carey, PhD, David F. Abbott, PhD, Gary F. Egan, PhD, Graham J. O’Keefe, PhD, Graham D. Jackson, MD, Julie Bernhardt, PhD, and Geoffrey A. Donnan, MD  

 

Objective. 

 

To characterize the evolution of brain activation in stroke patients with variable motor recovery and quantify changes relative to healthy controls.  

 

Methods.  

 

Serial PET activation studies, using a simple finger- tapping task, and quantitative measures of motor performance were obtained in 9 patients (2–7 weeks post stroke and 6 months later) and compared with serial healthy volunteer data. 

 

Results. 

 

Patients with moderate impairment and good recovery (n = 5) activated the primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) contralateral to the paretic hand moved, bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA), contralateral cingulate gyrus, and ipsilateral lateral premotor cortex. Activation in the bilateral SMA was greater at the initial study but reduced over time compared to healthy controls and poor recoverers. Patients with severe impairment and poor recovery (n = 4) showed limited activation of contralateral SM1 and SMA at both studies and no significant change over time. A posterior shift in SM1 activation was evident in good and poor recoverers.  

 

Conclusions.  

 

Activation of typical motor regions and recruitment of additional sites occur subacutely poststroke, with evolution to normal patterns in moderately impaired patients who recover well. In comparison, severely impaired, poor-recovery patients show persistent, reduced activation. Dynamic changes in SMA, differentially observed in good recoverers over 6 months, highlight its importance in recovery.

 

More at link.

Stroke survivors denied best chance of recovery by rehab design

Well duh! That knowledge has been out for years.

• green spaces (3 posts to January 2019)

• blue space (3 posts to May 2016)

Stroke survivors denied best chance of recovery by rehab design

 

The Novell project found that new stroke rehabilitation units should provide better access and visual connection to the outdoors. Picture supplied

Victorian stroke survivors are being denied the best chance of recovery because most of the state's rehabilitation centres are not "purpose built" to aid rehabilitation.

That's the view of Julie Bernhardt from brain research institute The Florey, who said research suggests people with potential to recover from stroke could do much better in the right environment.

Professor Bernhardt said about 70 per cent of rehabilitation facilities in Victoria are not adequately built for purpose, and many more were designed using an acute care model.

"Rather than encouraging stroke survivors to be active, many facilities subliminally encourage them to stay in their rooms, often in bed and alone," Professor Bernhardt said.

"This is not helpful in promoting recovery after stroke."

Professor Bernhardt is co-lead researcher of the Neuroscience Optimised Virtual Environments Living Lab (NOVELL) project.

The project aims to inspire healthcare providers and designers to create stroke rehab spaces that are innovative, more supportive of patient autonomy, and encourage activity and rest as part of the recovery journey.

According to The Stroke Foundation, about 10,000 people with stroke were admitted for inpatient rehabilitation across Australia in 2020, with an average stay of 14 days.

The 'living lab' approach incorporates virtual reality technology and a collaborative design strategy, integrating ideas from stroke survivors, clinicians, architects, neuroscientists and policy makers.

"Our wards include carefully designed shared bedrooms where stroke survivors would have access to essential privacy and quiet time for rest, while also having opportunity to be stimulated through incidental social interactions with fellow stroke survivors, visitors and staff," Professor Bernhardt said.

"There's also some evidence suggesting that people in shared rooms are less likely to fall."

Foundation objectives were to build:

• A positive and stimulating environment, including communal spaces and other destinations to encourage people to get out of their bedrooms and keep active
• Versatile spaces that can be adapted to meet different preferences and needs
• Bedrooms that have all the benefits of both a single room and a shared bedroom
• Easier navigation to build patient confidence in leaving the room
• Better lines of sight and visibility between stroke survivors and staff
• Better access and visual connection to the outdoors

For more information click here.

Blueprint Unveiled to Revamp Stroke Rehabilitation Design

 Is it designed for 100% recovery? NO? Then it wasn't designed properly. I don't care that Professor Julie Bernhardt is a superstar stroke researcher, even she is not getting research done to 100% recovery.

Blueprint Unveiled to Revamp Stroke Rehabilitation Design

A multi-disciplinary team of experts and stroke survivors has rewritten the design rulebook for

The Neuroscience Optimised Virtual Environments Living Lab (NOVELL) project set out to inspire healthcare providers and designers to create innovative stroke rehab spaces that better support patient autonomy, activity and rest as part of their recovery journey.

Approximately 10,000 people with stroke were admitted for inpatient rehabilitation across Australia in 2020 (Stroke Foundation), and the average length of stay is 14 days*.

Using virtual reality technology and a collaborative, 'living lab' approach that incorporates ideas from stroke survivors, clinicians, architects, neuroscientists and policy makers, the NOVELL project has resulted in designs for purpose-built bedrooms and wards catering to recovery of stroke survivors. Foundation objectives were to build:

• A positive and stimulating environment, including communal spaces and other destinations to encourage people to get up and out of their bedrooms and keep active.

• Versatile spaces that can be adapted to meet different preferences and needs.

• Bedrooms that have all the benefits of both a single room (privacy, quiet for rest) and a shared bedroom (social interaction, safety).

• Better wayfinding to encourage confidence in leaving the room.

• Better lines of sight and visibility between stroke survivors and staff.

• Better access and visual connection to the outdoors.

Co-lead researcher Professor Julie Bernhardt from The Florey, said research suggests that people with potential to recover from stroke could do much better in the right environment, but about 70 per cent of rehabilitation facilities in Victoria are not purpose-built, and many more are designed following a model used for acute care.

"Rather than encouraging stroke survivors to be active, many facilities subliminally encourage them to stay in their rooms, often in bed and alone. This is not helpful in promoting recovery after stroke."

"Our wards include carefully designed shared bedrooms where stroke survivors would have access to essential privacy and quiet time for rest, while also having opportunity to be stimulated through incidental social interactions with fellow stroke survivors, visitors and staff. There's also some evidence suggesting that people in shared rooms are less likely to fall."

Professor Bernhardt said NOVELL brought together stroke survivors with experts from universities, healthcare workers, government, architecture, industry and the wider community to create and test a rigorous design process.

"We hope our 'living lab' framework will serve as a model design process in healthcare whether retrofitting existing spaces or building new facilities."

Swinburne Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, Professor Marcus White, who is co-leading the project, said rehabilitation facilities don't have to be grim.

"These are spaces where people might be staying a few days, but could sometimes be there several months" Professor White said.

"A standard hospital design is just not fit for purpose. Careful design is needed that meets not only the purely functional aspects of the building, but also supports the physical and emotional wellbeing of those using it. We need to provide spaces that encourage connection between people as well as connection with nature."

Professor White said the resulting designs synthesised a wide range of inputs from stroke survivors, clinicians, researchers, engineers and designers along with evidence from traditional academic literature, innovative performance modelling, and "built artifact evidence" through rigorous analysis of architectural precedents.

NOVELL's results are expected to contribute to part of the next iteration of the subacute version of the Australasian Health Facility Design Guidelines which are currently under review.

* Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Key Facts:

1. 1. NOVELL Redesign is a healthcare redesign and innovation project funded by the Felton Bequest and the University of Melbourne. The project is based at The Florey in Melbourne, Australia and the team is in close partnership with government, healthcare, industry, academia and community. NOVELL Redesign provides an evidence-based springboard for rethinking how stroke rehabilitation facilities are designed and integrated with models of care. Our goal is to develop a comprehensive and evidence-based design process, taking a whole facility and a whole service approach. We begin by considering current best practice guidelines and best evidence rehabilitation architecture. We then apply rigorous research and cutting edge technology to visualize, rigorously test and refine new designs in a virtual facility to produce the optimal outcome for all users.

2. https://www.novellredesign.com/

About us:

The Florey is Australia's leading brain research institute with a focus on improving the lives of people with neurological and psychiatric conditions. The Florey's research missions are centred around dementia, epilepsy, mental health and developing ways to protect and repair the brain. These missions are strengthened by The Florey's expertise in neurotherapeutics, neuroimaging, synaptic biology and systems neuroscience. With 600 researchers, The Florey is the largest research centre of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

/Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).