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Spotlight put on dementia care by Kingston University

March 23 2010

Spotlight put on dementia care by Kingston University
Kingston University have published research into the provision of dementia care, indicating how good design can be instrumental at improving the quality of life for sufferers.

‘Living with Dementia – Can Design Make a Difference’ was led by Professor Hilary Dalke in an effort to inform future blueprints for the building, lay-out and management of care homes.

Cost effective improvements suggested in the report include laying out homes as single storey ‘villages’ to instill a sense of neighbourhood, including such facilities as a shop, café and even a ‘pub’.

Continuing to stimulate residents was a priority for the researchers who recommended having cats and chickens on site. Even old engine parts were utilised as a means to stimulate memories of some residents prior working lives with some taking these objects back to their rooms.

Dalke said: “Many care home professionals believe that a building with a lack of design for independent living can itself cause a rapid decline for residents with Alzheimer’s disease. People who have been moved to a more stimulating home have shown significant improvement in their physical or mental condition that was not directly attributable to greater luxury or more staff.”

2 Comments

Jack Robertson
#1 Posted by Jack Robertson on 29 Mar 2010 at 11:44 AM
we are interior designers based in Glasgow and have designed many care centres and would certianly agree that good and appropriate interior design principles are not implemented in the majority of care homes we have seen
Alan Dunlop
#2 Posted by Alan Dunlop on 29 Mar 2010 at 12:08 PM
Takes a while for people to catch on, I guess?

Hard architecture and human scale: designing environments for people with dementia / Alan Dunlop published 1994

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