Design for Dementia | Exemplar Products & Design Guidance
Design for Dementia is a book that explores how better product and environmental design can improve the experience of dining and bedroom environments for care home residents with dementia. It is aimed at care providers, manufacturers and designers with an interest in improving existing care homes. The design ideas and principles included are a practical response to the challenge of cognitive decline and can be retrofitted to existing homes as well as applied to new developments.
My Role | Research Associate
I co-authored the publication with Nic Rysenbry and completed the project as part of my Research Associate role at the HHCD. Over the course of two years we completed extensive literature reviews, visited 18 care homes, conducted interviews with residents and staff, designed prototypes and tested solutions. To complete the final design of the publication we worked with two graphic designers, Luke Gould and Ray O’Meara.
Dining | Architectural Layouts & Furnishing
The book contains a section on how to adapt existing nursing home architectures proposing new design ideas to provide more vibrant food culture for both staff and residents. The ideas developed are not the results of a theoretical exercise, but can be practically applied today and work in line with current care home management systems. The book also offers a series of design principles that can be used in the design or renovation of care homes.
Tableware | Product Exemplars
The eating skills of residents in the mid to late stages of dementia can be improved and maintained through the use of appropriately designed tableware. The book contains a section highlighting key features needed to improve the experience of meal times. An entire range of product exemlar tableware is proposed, designed to meet the varying abilities of people who find it challenging to eat due to dementia or reduced physical ability. Further information on this range can be seen here.
Product Efficacy | Impact and Implimentation
The project was co-funded by the Helen Hamlyn Centre and Bupa. Findings were integrated into Bupas ongoing renovation and care home development schemes as well as being presented at the National Dementia Congress.
The publication has been added to the British Library and numerous other research archives for free download. The project resulted in aditional research funding and resulted in Better Care Homes, a project which can be viewed here.