was published in 2015 and is still current. It outlines design principles to aid design of new build and redevelopments and incorporates expert research and guidance from the DSDC and The Kings Fund amongst others. Within this there are 12 design principles, such as ‘Provide a safe environment’, ‘Support wayfinding and navigation’, and ‘Provide optimum lighting and contrast’. This is where ‘seeing as others see’ becomes highly effective, and for that we must understand more about visual impairment.
Visual impairment is experienced by many people as they get older – it is not an issue exclusive to those with dementia. However, dementia can add to the challenge of living with these sight changes, or someone’s eyes may be healthy, but their brain has trouble interpreting what is seen . According to the RNIB, sight loss is often under- diagnosed in people with dementia because one condition can mask or be mistaken for another.
Visual impairment often means lower contrast sensitivity, poorer colour vision, less spatial awareness and poorer perception of depth. It can lead to misperceptions – when a person sees one thing as something else, for example mistaking a coat hanging up for a person - and disorientation – for example misinterpreting reflections on shiny walls as an intruder. Visual impairment also affects the way we see texture.
Altro’s Designing for Dementia CPD uses practical examples to demonstrate the impact of design decisions. Let’s look at image 1 above. What works well in this room is having a consistent flooring or floor tone, as this encourages a person to go through into the next room. Consistent flooring doesn’t attract attention. Use consistent flooring materials and finishes across areas where those with dementia should be encouraged to move freely – a day room to an activity room for example. However, the choice of skirting in this example is problematic, as when viewed from another room it could give the perception of a barrier, as it does across the door in this example. Additionally, the floor in this image is shiny, making it appear wet – it should be matt.
When looking to achieve a homely, non-clinical feel, it may be tempting to opt for patterned flooring, but as image 2 shows, someone with visuo-perceptual difficulties may mistake the pattern for objects to be picked up or to be avoided, and in doing so could result in a fall. Similarly with wall coverings, heavy patterned wallpaper could be picked at and damaged.
Although a lot of the guidance around design for dementia considers visuo-perceptual difficulties, acoustics and sound also play a part. In fact, dementia affects, and is affected by, all of the senses. For example, some studies have shown that people with mild to moderate hearing loss are more likely to experience memory and thinking problems. The effort it
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takes to hear and understand things diverts brain resources away from the ability to process, respond and remember the information being heard.
Disorientation and bewilderment are a common experience for people with dementia – this is exacerbated by noisy communal and activity spaces, repetitive sound, noise transfer to bedrooms. People with dementia need environments that are easy to interpret first of all. They need rooms that are easy to read because dementia can lead to confusion, and they may lose the ability to accurately interpret what they hear because of hearing loss . Altro’s CPD on sound reduction explores these issues and best practice solutions in more detail.
Designing with empathy can make a huge difference to the everyday life of people living with dementia. Seeing the world through their eyes allows you to drastically improve understanding and make better assessments and recommendations.
There are many more practical examples like these in the new edition of Altro’s designing for dementia CPD, along with guidance and best practice examples and solutions, based on years of experience and real-world applications. The CPD has been designed to be interactive, promoting discussion with those taking part around the growing challenge of creating spaces that work well for those with dementia. There is also a new CPD on sound reduction which also encompasses elements of design for dementia from an acoustic perspective. Altro’s designing for dementia CPD fits within RIBA’s core curriculum and covers its seven ‘specification essentials’. To book a session, call 01462 707604 or email
cpd@altro.com.
cpd@altro.com
www.altro.co.uk SAFETY FLOORING & HEALTHCARE | 37
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