Table 4 Results of environmental audit at care homes A and B
| Â | Care Home A | Care Home B |
|---|---|---|
Main Communal Lounge – General Overview | Challenging listening environment. Television and radio often switched on simultaneously (and loudly) in different corners of the open plan space. High ceilings and carpeted floors. Located next to dining hall with door always open. Windows looking out to garden area. | Smaller than care home A. Carpeted floors and located at the end of a corridor. Television is the only sound source within this space. Located down the corridor from dining hall, windows looking out to front carpark. |
Sound Resources | No sound resources identified such as telecoil for hearing aid input. | No sound resources identified such as telecoil for hearing aid input. |
Furniture | Soft furnishings that prevented echo. Armchairs were placed in clusters of three or four. | Armchairs placed around the edge of the room facing inwards towards television. |
Dining Room – General Overview | Hard floors and high ceilings, with limited acoustic absorption around the room. Sound of food preparation, crockery and cutlery from the kitchen was heard prominently. | Natural light, low ceilings and lino floors. Very little sound heard from the kitchen when sitting on the dining tables. |