Design and Dementia

A Design and Dementia Community of Practice (CoP) is currently developing knowledge translation (KT) tools that provide evidenced-based recommendations for dementia and senior friendly environmental design for long-term care homes. Interested in this topic? Participate in the Design and Dementia Forum, connect with a CoP member or contact the Knowledge Broker to join this CoP.

Education and Presentations:

• The Dementia-Friendly Design Series: Doorways - Presenters: Frances Morton-Chang, PhD(c ) Health Policy Gerontologist, Dementia Educator
  and Deb Bryson, Psychogeriatric Resource Consultant, Alzheimer Society of Hamilton and Halton Presentation
  - Dementia-Friendly Design Considerations - Doorways
  - Presentation Handout
• Dementia-Friendly Design Series: Lighting - Presenters:Frances Morton-Chang, PhD(c ) Health Policy Gerontologist, Dementia Educator and Leah Sadler, Associate Director of Education, MAREP
  - Dementia-Friendly Design Considerations - Lighting
  - Literature Review
  - Presentation Handout
• The Dementia-Friendly Design Series: Noise  (NEW) - Presenters: Michelle Wolfenden, Manager, Business Development, Snyder & Associates Inc., John Swallow, M.A.Sc.,P.Eng LEED AP, Swallow Acoustic Consultants Ltd, Ken Hancock, P.Eng., Retired, Frances Morton-Chang, PhD(c ) Health Policy Gerontologist, Dementia Educator
  - Physical Design Interventions
  - Social Design Interventions
• - Presentation Handout, Video: Supporting Derek

Links

• Creating a Senior Friendly Physical Environment in our Hospitals, Joanne O'Keeffe BSc, OT; Regional Geriatric Assessment Program of Ottawa. This article highlights the need for proactive hospital policies and procedures that can reduce the negative impact that length of stay can have on seniors functional abilities and ability to return home.
• Clear Print Design Standard The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) accessibility services provides a Guide for Clear Print and Typeface Legibility for Low Vision Readers and their accompanying literature and research reviews.
• At Home with Alzheimer's: Useful Adaptations to the Home Environment, Ottawa, ON: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. This website provides practical applications for safety and security for those with dementia and their partners in care living in the community.
• Dementia Design Guidelines: Home and Community Care Capital Works Program, Lisa Hodges, Catherine Bridge & Katrina Chaudhary, 2006, Home Modification Information Clearinghouse Project Team. Clearinghouse, University of Sydney.
• Dementia Care and the Built Environment: Position Paper 3, Alzheimer's Australia, 2004, Improve the ability of adult day centres to provide a safe environment which caters to the specific needs of people with dementia.
• Living Space, University of Stirling, Everyday items designed to make life easier for people with dementia really do make a difference.

Books

• Design Innovations for Aging and Alzheimers: Creating Caring Environments, Elizabeth C. Brawley, 2006 This book is a second edition which provides recent design innovations for in care environments for the aging and for Alzheimers.