DEMENTIA ACCREDITATION


Dementia: improving outcomes through accreditation


Lynsey Hutchinson, senior interior designer at the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC), explains how care home operators can seek prestigious accreditation by using the Environments for Ageing and Dementia Design Assessment Tool (EADDAT)


The DSDC was created In 1989 by the Dementia Services Development Trust (DSDT) with support from the University of Stirling. It is an international centre of excellence focused on improving the lives of people with dementia, promoting dementia- friendly communities, and influencing policy and practice. Its work aims to enhance independence and quality of life for those affected by dementia. In March 2003, Dame Judi Dench officially opened the Iris Murdoch Building (the home of the DSDC) and became a patron of the Trust, advocating for improving lives for people with dementia. The building’s namesake, Dame Iris Murdoch, was an Irish novelist and philosopher who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1997. The Iris Murdoch Building was the first dementia-friendly public building in the UK and continues to attract visitors worldwide. The building’s Design and Technology Suite showcases the DSDC’s Dementia Design Principles through three demonstration rooms. These rooms offer practical examples for those seeking to create supportive environments for people living with dementia. Despite being over 20 years old, the building remains popular because the core principles of dementia design are still relevant.


Identifying barriers Over the past thirty years, the DSDC has built a global reputation in dementia design, identifying


barriers for people with dementia. It has set a benchmark for care home design quality for people with dementia, drawing evidence primarily from care environments. The DSDC Dementia Design Audit Accreditation


(DDAT) – part of the DSDC Design Consultancy Services – was established in 2008. In 2022, the DSDC introduced the Environments


for Ageing and Dementia Design Assessment Tool (EADDAT), an updated and more accessible version of the original audit tool. EADDAT reflects advances in dementia design using the latest research and guidance. EADDAT currently consists of two tiers, which reflect the scale of intervention or project. For both tiers, applicants are provided with a comprehensive user guide, a tailored checklist, relevant case studies, and examples of best practice.


THE CARE HOME INDUSTRY HANDBOOK 2026 19


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