Highlights
- •(Systematic) reviews from the fields of assistive technology for dementia care and healing environments research show opportunities for environmental design for dementia care.
- •Insights from both fields could better inform the designers of dementia care environments.
- •A multidisciplinary and user-centred design approach might broaden opportunities for more meaningful environmental design for dementia care.
Abstract
Dementia is generally considered to be one of the most pressing societal issues now
and in the years to come. Although insights from different disciplines have contributed
to a better understanding of dementia and the development of interventions targeting
dementia symptoms, there is a lack of integration of insights from these different
perspectives for the purposes of design for dementia. The aim of this paper is to
show how insights from environmental psychology and advances in technology can inform
a user-centred multidisciplinary design approach. To this end, first a brief meta-review
of (systematic) reviews from the fields of assistive technology for dementia care
and healing environments research is presented, after which gaps and opportunities
for a multidisciplinary design approach are identified. To illustrate what such an
approach could look like, two exploratory case studies are presented in which technology-enhanced
prototypes of an experience handrail (aimed at facilitating wayfinding by providing
meaningful sensory experiences) and a virtual nature installation (aimed at providing
relaxation and stimulating social engagement) were implemented at a Dutch care centre
for people with dementia. Preliminary evaluations indicate that these designs contribute
to the wellbeing of people with dementia and confirm the fruitfulness of the design
approach presented in this paper. Furthermore, this approach may not only provide
a means to optimize existing environments and enhance ease of living, but may also
lead to novel solutions to the challenges people with dementia face on a day-to-day
basis, and improve their quality of life.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 28, 2019
Accepted:
June 27,
2019
Received in revised form:
June 15,
2019
Received:
March 15,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
