INTERIORS


A feeling of ownership


A


dementia unit at a south Shropshire care home has undergone a transformation with


the introduction of specially-designed wall features and doors. The 15-bed dementia care facility at


Stone House in Bishops Castle, which is run by Coverage Care, now includes a range of artworks including meadow scenes on the windows and walls, an LCD fish tank, bedroom doors that have been revamped to look like individual front doors, and stone-effect corridor walls. The £8,500 improvement scheme


was carried out by reminiscence care specialists from Rempods and was


and eye-tracking technology to better understand what visual and environmental factors people rely on to navigate a space, in particular those battling dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, who often suffer from memory loss and disorientation. Through his research, he has found that


Beyond beauty A 14


US professor is urging designers of dementia-friendly interiors to ‘think beyond the beauty or


aesthetics of a space’ and concentrate on functionality in order to enhance lives. Hessam Ghamari, a professor of


interior design at California State University, is using neuroimaging


mhdf magazine


healthcare facilities can improve the lives of dementia patients by implementing certain interior design elements. “My goal is to restore their sense of


freedom by designing an environment that is navigable,” he said. Distinguishing colours for individual


residents’ doors and rooms can help to enhance orientation. Similarly, unique furnishings or items


that provide architectural differentiation aid a person with dementia’s ability to determine which room is theirs, he notes. And he found that by placing a display


partly funded by staff who organised a series of money-spinning events. Home manager, Keturah Bloor, said: “The aim was to provide a more-


therapeutic and individual environment for residents and to help them feel better orientated in their environment. “We know people with dementia


can get confused and struggle to differentiate between similar doors within a corridor, for example, so having ones that look different will help them to better identify with their surroundings. It also gives them a feeling of ownership of their individual rooms.


“The unit is considerably brighter and


more cheerful with the new artwork and staff and residents are already feeling the benefits – some have commented already about how it brightens their day and looks wonderful.”


www.coveragecareservices.co.uk www.rempods.co.uk


case or shadow box that includes personal memorabilia outside an individual’s door you can drastically improve their ability to locate their room. Moreover, bright, even, glare-free lighting was found to reduce depression and improve mood, as does adding natural light through use of a skylight or window, in the rooms of people with dementia. “It is important to teach students


that interior design goes beyond how the environment looks,” he said. “It’s not necessarily about the beauty or aesthetics of a space. It goes beyond that – the safety, security, health, wellbeing and the functionality of a space are all equally crucial components to design.”


www.coveragecareservices.co.uk www.rempods.co.uk


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