Designing for Dementia and Alzheimer’s (Part 3) Posted: Nov 2018 Posted by: Mats Inc.

A Savvy Healthcare Space Checklist

In our two prior articles, we outlined the growing segment of our aging society affected by Alzheimer’s , as well as things to keep in mind  when envisioning healthcare spaces for patients with dementia.

In this segment, we will discuss the guiding framework that enables healthcare facilities to provide more inclusive and specialized care to the increasing Alzheimer’s and dementia populations.

More homey, less clinical

Spaces that put patients at ease can serve to improve their overall well-being.  Creating environments that incorporate familiarity, simplicity and safety reduce the added stress and disorientation known to affect patients with dementia.

In addition to lifestyle-inspired furnishings and the ability to stow away medical equipment, making room for personal belongings such as photos, can go along way in supporting patients’ awareness and reassurance.  Providing patients with the opportunity to manage lighting, heating and cooling of their spaces with intuitive remotes, can improve their sense of control, autonomy and comfort.

Peaceful. Private. Tranquil.

Extending the calm and comfort to restroom areas is another essential area to address a sometimes-stressful lifestyle aspect for both patients with dementia and their caregivers.  General Universal design principles for senior-friendly bathrooms apply, such as minimizing or eliminating doorway thresholds, installing spot lights to highlight sinks and toilets, and using sensors or pull-chord technologies for emergency assistance.

Along with the aforementioned residential-style appearance, maximizing natural light, ensuring adequate ventilation, and installing anti-scalding devices on sinks and showers will help to put patients at ease.  Laying out each room with clear sightlines between the bed and the toilet can help reduce confusion during nighttime bathroom trips.

Naturally soothing: Biophilia-centric design

Help maintain the natural circadian rhythms, sleep patterns and mood levels of patients by harnessing the sun and the seasons.  Positioning windows in common areas and personal spaces to let in natural light and to overlook greenery, trees and flowers offer a grounding natural alternative to drab, clinical surroundings – while providing a sense of seasonal orientation.  Also central to Biophilia’s ethos is opting for natural-looking and organic materials over artificial facades.

Active engagement. Quiet spaces.

Like most of us, patients dealing with dementia require a combination of socialization and privacy. Creating common spaces where interpersonal activities are encouraged, without inviting chaos is key to keeping a balance.  Smaller, soundproofed activity rooms help protect from distraction and overstimulation.  Too much or too little activity can contribute to wandering off in search of solitude or autonomy, so creating quiet places to recharge alone is another component to keeping patients both engaged and relaxed.

Safety and security

One of the most challenging aspects of helping keep patients with dementia calm is handling perceptions and paranoias.  Healthcare spaces should be safe and secure, but bolstering this feeling relieve patients’ fears through subtle environmental cues, including lockable storage spaces for valuables and garden fences at least 6-feet high but surrounded by greenery as not to trigger feelings of captivity.  Deemphasized entry and egress points can help avoid anxiety around the need to flee.

Healthcare designers have the difficult job of bringing together beautiful and functional elements with the overarching principles that facilitate environments for optimal caregiving and patient health.  We hope you enjoyed our series on Designing for Dementia and Alzheimer’s, and that you can apply these principles to create spaces that will benefit the changing needs of healthcare now and in the future.  For more in-depth study, TrinityHaus, TCD, Tallaght University Hospital and O’Connell Mahon Architects, in collaboration with numerous co-authors and a steering committee, have produced Dementia Friendly Hospitals from a Universal Design Approach Design Guidelines 2018.

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