Adjusting an Older Residential Care Facility to Contemporary Dementia Care Visions

Abstract

Older residential care facilities are increasingly confronted with an incongruity between contemporary visions on dementia care and outdated infrastructure. In this context a case study analyses how the architecture of such a facility hampers or supports the implementation of its dementia care vision. Interviews, participant observation and document analysis offer nuanced insights into the interplay between care vision and architecture. The latter's limitations include its spatial organisation, lack of high-quality communal areas, authoritarian character and hospital-like atmosphere, while potential lies in using adaptable lighting, homelike materials and furniture, and small spatial interventions. These interventions can be framed within a major renovation in the long term, which would allow to realize far-reaching improvements in the ward. Since many older facilities display similar features, the case study's approach and outcome can help them in adjusting their outdated infrastructure to increase the autonomy of people with dementia and support their individuality and emancipation.

Perspectives on the Role and Synergies of Architecture and Social and Built Environment in Enabling Active Healthy Aging

“…Yet, that message has not entered the conscious design process of the built environment professionals, as the perception and visual distraction in architectural literature [ 52 ] concentrates on architectural-focused instead of person-focused aims, unrelated to the distortions of perception due to ill health. Moreover, research suggests that architects might have a combination of lack of knowledge and misconceptions on the actual needs and preferences of the elderly and research by design projects, such as the example of a Dementia ward at Flanders [ 45 , 53 ]. This gap of architectural knowledge and education on the perception and users' needs should make us reflect on the way architectural education is delivered as well as potential for further research.…”

“…In healthcare environments creativity could be enhanced through a variety of spaces designed for different uses, such as dancing or exercise and space for horticulture, to give to examples out of the numerous possibilities, rather than the one-type-of-common-room-fits-all approach. Research on long-term care connected architecture and the implementation of therapeutic regime through the availability/lack of such areas [ 45 ].…”

How architectural design affords experiences of freedom in residential care for older people

“…The ongoing refutation of a purely medical model evidences an emancipation process of older people who want to avoid institutionalization (i.e., avoid subjection to institutional rules and routines, and to restrictions of activities, mobility and social contacts), and instead want their voice to be heard, continue their own daily lives, and stay involved in society as much as possible (Mens & Wagenaar, 2009). The physical environment plays an important role in realizing care visions (Elf, Fröst, Lindahl, & Wijk, 2015;Kearns, 2007;Martin, Nettleton, Buse, Prior, & Twigg, 2015;Mens & Wagenaar, 2009;Van Steenwinkel, Verstraeten, & Heylighen, 2016).…”

Informing hospital design through research on patient experience

“…In previous research, we collected insights regarding various aspects impacting on patients' experience (Annemans et al, 2016(Annemans et al, , 2017Van der Linden, Annemans & Heylighen, 2016;Van Steenwinkel, Verstraeten & Heylighen, 2016). This information consists of ethnographic data collected in various (health)care settings, both hospitals and (residential) care facilities.…”