Hi! I recently read on here that when we talk about a Private Residence, we are talking about a single family dwelling. So things like blocks of flats/apartments could be eligible if they have something worth adding.
What are the thoughts on care homes? A lot of these have a community area and certainly have communal gardens. I’ve nominated a fountain in front of a care home and a beautiful wood carving of a bird located in the communal garden at a different care home but both were rejected as private residence.
Does a care home class as a private residence, in which case I should stop nominating anything there? Or is it worth me using an appeal on these?
I can share the nominations here if needed, but it’s more just a general question around whether care homes should be classed as a private residence or treated like an apartment block/student halls of residence etc?
Thank you! 
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You may need to define what you mean by care home. I think of a facility that feels like an apartment building for those who need assistance. That assistance could be just for what we call activities of daily living (getting dressed, taking medicines, light cleaning) or it may be more involved medical that requires a nurse or nursing aid.
My own father lived in a place like that. It was enormous. They offered all kinds of activities for their residents: work out room, pool, pool table, library, garden, etc. They also had fountains and statues around the grounds.
I had no problem with POI being placed around the grounds. As people of my generation age, we get closer and closer to needing to live in places like this. Would i suddenly stop being a gamer when i get old? No. I will still fire up my mobile phone and yell out “i gotta spin mah stops!” But you should look carefully at the placement. I wouldnt add a POI where it could block the driveway. And i would try to see if the residents getting higher levels of clincial care live in a particular section. I’d be very careful about blocking access to their entrance.
However, there are also “care homes” that are little more than a single family home where 10 people who need a nurse to look after them all live together. I would not approve POI in those tiny homes.
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Thank you - these ones are the bigger community style ones. One looks a bit like apartment blocks, and the fountain is in a garden on the front, just a lovely area to walk around. The carving was in one of the smaller gardens they have in each of the blocks of care facilities. Almost all are people who still get themselves out and about as opposed to bed bound round the clock nursing.
Yeah, this is not an official answer, but i see nothing wrong with that. These are mostly older people living in places like this. They need socialIzation and things to do. They also have family come visit and many would get a kick out of their kid or grandkid showing them imaginary creatures on the phone. My father resisted living there initially because he thought he was going to just sit in a rocking chair all day and do nothing. But the residents should have all kinds of stuff to keep them occupied.
I’m pretty passionate about making sure those who are normally forgotten in our society have access to fun things.
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Hello, I have Nominated this Informatial/Black Board where News from the Care centre and also outside activity like events in the school or Car boot sales, which is outside of the official Area of the Care Centre.
And it got declined for being on Care Centre Property
Niantic doesn’t always get it right. The official stance is that POI can’t block emergency services. There is no emergency service at nursing homes. But ambulances do show up, which is why i mentioned above not to block entrances as a good rule of thumb.
Honestly, there are some nominations that i know are too nuanced to send to Niantic for appeal/review and this is one of those types. It’s unfortunate.
Should I just nominate it again?
I don’t see any issues with nominations at residential care places, so long as the people using them in game do so in a respectful manner.
Most of these places are for elderly folk, and they still have social lives, so nominating things in the grounds where they’d socialise seems perfectly reasonable to me.
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Maybe. It depends on whether or not you can convicne your locals to accept it. And that is all about how you describe why it is eligible. Again, a lot of people live under the bad assumption that “sick” people should just be put away and left alone. They should never be happy or have anything to do but lie around in bed. All the current medical research (for decades) focuses on community reintegration, being active, improving mental health by getting out of bed as often as you can, etc. Care homes SHOULD NOT BE DREARY PLACES.
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Yeah I think care homes are fine places to submit eligible items. Some places would have nice gardens, artwork, gym or swimming/hydrotherapy pools, bowls courts, all sorts of items that are eligible elsewhere-why not there?!
Also we shouldnt assume that no one who lives there could play a niantic game. I work as an analyst for a gaming company and I’ve seen the ages of our customers. 85+ is an age category for a reason!
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I work at a medical facility in the rehab area. We had an accessibility awareness fair yesterday. I got to try to play a driving video game with adapted gaming equipment. It was for people with limited finger ability. So the controller was designed to just place your palm on it to move around. There was a button you press with your wrist for the throttle. Naturally, I was terrible, but it’s just fantastic that these devices exist so that people who need them can continue to participate in the things they love.
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I appreciate seeing this. It’s a nice reminder that life doesn’t end when you grow older, things just change.
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If it’s a hall with single or double rooms on each side, of people mostly bedridden or in wheelchairs (maybe a few walkers), then you can expect ambulances to be regularly at each door. I had parents or in-laws in such a place for combined 18 years. It was horrifying when someone had parked (illegally) at a door. I would not put a wayspot near a door.
But if it’s a place where people have more like apartments, and maybe walk to the dining room for meals, with someone to bring their medicines a couple times a day - that’s fine, IMO.
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The ones here are more like the latter. The one like the former is in the main town, well away from these “retirement communities” which are more like university halls of residence but for the older generation - that’s probably the best description I can give.
I definitely wouldn’t nominate anywhere near the front doors, but I also think it depends a little on where it is - in a small town like I live in with maybe 20 people that play, I don’t think that is likely to cause a situation where it would block it off anyway, as those 20 people don’t tend to play together much anyway lol. A big city where you might find a LOT of people playing and getting together, you’d need to be a lot more careful. My nominations are usually in their communal garden areas, which aren’t going to block ambulances.
It took one parked car for the emergency access to be blocked. IMO player nuisance is largely not a criteria concern but breaks player guideline, even if seldom enforced.
I see the likelihood of needing and having emergency services available through paths and entryways resonate more to the criteria than the likelihood of players congregating onsite due to gameplay.
Outside above concerns and the region’s sensitivity with the like facilities, they are essentially an apartment with services for care.
Senior Living facilities can have some great wayspots! I’ve nominated Pergolas, Community Centers, statues, walking paths, even fitness stations on Senior Living grounds. Senior Living Facilities definitely don’t qualify on their own as Wayspots, but those properties are not SFPRP in most cases and objects within their properties can make wonderful nominations. When I go out to nominate stuff at Senior Living facilities, I refer to it as my own form of retirement planning (even though I’m hoping to retire abroad eventually)! 
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Niantic’s not a fan of pergolas for retired people 
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Yeah, that’s odd, as there’s no mention of retirement communities in the rejection criteria. Sounds like some clarification is needed from Niantic, especially since retirement communities vary, like previously mentioned.
Wow!! That’s actually terrible! I’m quite shocked. Ageism in the appeals team? 
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Where I am retirement villages / resorts etc get added as wayspots regularly. Also features within – such as directional signs, art, bowling greens, community gardens etc. (Now pools will be too) They are sold as over 50 accomodations so not old really. Some have like mini hospital wings where you go when on the way out — residents call it the waiting room.
Also features in hospitals such as cafes, gardens, outdoor rest area, chapels etc.
Both, of course, attract visitors and have safe pedestrian access and mostly contain legitimate way spots.
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