Durable Psychiatric Furniture for Hampstead Hospital
Located in Hampstead, N.H. and built in 1974, Hampstead Hospital was the first private psychiatric hospital licensed by New Hampshire. The hospital — a 111-bed private specialty facility — serves the psychiatric and chemical dependency needs for children, adolescents and adults from across the state. The hospital is located in southern New Hampshire near Boston and sits on 100 acres of woodland and landscaped grounds.
The facility provides patients with child and adolescent psychiatric services, adult psychiatric and developmental disorder services and drug and alcohol addiction services. The hospital’s mission is to provide “patients and families with effective treatment in a safe and caring environment” and “considers high quality behavioral health services in a safe environment to be our top priority.”
According to Developmental Disorders Services Clinical Director Kacie Melo, LICSW, the patients’ ages and needs vary greatly from unit to unit and can include such diagnoses as bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, autism, mood disorder, intermittent explosive disorder and mental retardation. In 2014, the facility undertook a renovation to improve patient safety and comfort with specialized psychiatric hospital furniture from Norix.
Overall Project Goal & Philosophy
Hampstead Hospital began renovating its Washington Unit to create a safer and more comfortable environment for adolescents and young adults with emotional disabilities. The renovation aimed to combine safety and security with vibrant, welcoming colors to foster a therapeutic setting. Norix was selected to provide the specialized psychiatric hospital furniture needed to achieve these goals.
Aesthetic Goals
Hampstead’s redesign aimed to incorporate psychiatric hospital beds and furniture that blend aesthetics with functionality. Norix supplied a range of psychiatric furniture designed to enhance the therapeutic environment while ensuring safety. The new furniture features various hues that complement the unit’s color scheme, creating a cheerful and comforting atmosphere for patients.
Functional Goals
Hampstead also needed furniture that was configurable and multi-functional. They wanted chairs that could be used while watching TV at certain points in the day, then be moved to other areas for alternate uses. They also wanted cubes that could be used as either seating or tables and that could be moved around as needed as well.
Safety & Security Goals
Like other behavioral health care facilities, Hampstead required extremely durable furniture. It was imperative that the products were heavy, came equipped with a ballasting option or that could be bolted to the floor so the furniture could not be easily moved or picked up. They also needed furniture that could not be pulled apart or easily broken and that was easy to clean for infection control.
Selection Process
Hampstead Hospital has a longstanding relationship with Norix Furniture, having purchased and worked with our products multiple times. In 2012, the facility acquired Norix Furniture’s original Hondo chairs and cubes, Max Master tables, Attenda beds, and Integra and Ultra-Max chairs.
“We had previously used Norix Furniture when we renovated the Pierce Unit,” said Melo. “We were highly satisfied with the durability and quality of the furniture and felt it would be equally beneficial for our other developmental disabilities unit that we were renovating.”
When it was time to update the Washington Unit in 2014, the facility consulted with Norix representative Bob Howell. He provided samples and detailed literature on our psychiatric hospital furniture, including the new Hondo Nuevo® seating series and Remedy Sealed Seam Mattress series. These products offer unparalleled durability and appealing aesthetics for behavioral healthcare facilities.
“They really liked the options that come with the Hondo Nuevo® series. They appreciated the colors, the configurability, and the inclusion of chairs, wedges, and cubes,” Howell said. “The Norix Forté™ series and its upholstery option were also well-received, helping give facilities like Hampstead a residential feel.”
The Results
In the summer of 2014, the Washington Unit renovation was completed, and patients began using the facility. Hampstead Hospital chose a wide selection of Norix Furniture, including Attenda® patient beds, Forté™ and Hondo Nuevo® Lounge Furniture, Sierra Series loveseats and couches, and the new Remedy Series of mattresses and pillows, among other products.
The Norix colors – including Lagoon, River Rock, and Pine Cone from our Naturals Palette – paired well with the brown, blue, green, and tan hues chosen for the walls and floors throughout the unit. This selection gave the rooms a normalized and residential feel, without sacrificing the safety and security tied to the hospital’s mission.
“We chose Norix products due to their durability, quality of materials and the fact that it can be easily cleaned and sanitized. We also chose them for the overall safety for the patients and the staff,” Melo said. “Due to the population of patients we serve and the behaviors they can display, the Norix furniture was able to meet all of our safety standards and needs
Developmental Disorders Services Clinical Director Kacie Melo, LICSW
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