Photo Narrative: Co-Designing a Built Environment with Seniors with Mild Cognitive Impairments

Aflatoony, Leila; Tonetto, Leandro Miletto; Campiglia, Gabrielle; DuBose, Jennifer

doi:10.21606/drs.2020.142

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 21 publications

(26 reference statements)

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“…New methods of co-design are increasingly being developed. Examples include a photo-narrative approach, which has been used to co-design environments for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (Aflatoony et al, 2020). Gaudion (2015) has also presented potential tools to support the participation of autistic individuals with additional support needs in the design process.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Considerations of the built environment for autistic individuals: A review of the literature

Black

McGarry

Churchill

et al. 2022

Autism

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Until recently, built environments have been designed exclusively to meet the needs of neurotypical populations; however, there is increasing recognition of the need to make built environments more accommodating for neurodiverse populations, including autistic individuals. This scoping review aims to comprehensively explore and synthesise this literature on the internal built environment for autistic individuals providing recommendations for designers, policymakers and clinicians. Five electronic databases were searched, resulting in a total of 28 studies being reviewed. Recommendations are provided for design and construction, lighting, sound, aesthetics, temperature and air quality. While in its early stages, evidence demonstrating the impact that particular qualities of light, colour, sound and spatial planning have on the human sensorium is emerging. In turn, this new knowledge is informing design decisions that are progressing interior environments towards inclusivity. Understanding the positive and negative impacts of decisions made in the design of the built environment has the potential to facilitate the participation and inclusion of autistic individuals. Lay abstract Factors related to the interiors of buildings, including the layout of rooms, colours, smells, noises, temperature, ventilation, colour and clutter, among other things, can change the way we interact with our environment and the people around us. Autistic individuals can have differences in processing sensory information and may find aspects of the built environment (BE) over-whelming and difficult to navigate. We reviewed the existing literature exploring the BE and autism. This study found that it is possible to make changes to the BE to create more inclusive and friendly environments for everyone, including autistic individuals. Findings from this study provide clear recommendations that can be used by interior designers, architects, builders, and clinical practitioners to make a positive difference. Key recommendations include using simple spatial layouts, compartmentalising and zoning spaces into specific activity sections and providing retreat spaces. The thoughtful placement of windows and blinds and the installation of dimmable lights, for example, will allow users to manage or reduce sensory over-stimulation caused by lights. Similarly, we recommend creating soundproofing and sound absorbent materials to reduce background noise and sound levels. We also recommend using neutral or simple colour palettes and restrained use of patterns. Finally, and most importantly, the BE needs to be flexible and adaptable to meet the unique needs of each person. This study provides a starting point for design guidelines and recommendations towards making a difference to the everyday experiences of the interiors of buildings.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Considerations of the built environment for autistic individuals: A review of the literature

Black

McGarry

Churchill

et al. 2022

Autism

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Exploring the value of multi-sensory aids in co-designing assistive home devices for older adults with cognitive impairment

Aflatoony

Dubose

Song

et al. 2023

Assistive Technology

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Wayfinding in People with Alzheimer’s Disease: Perspective Taking and Architectural Cognition—A Vision Paper on Future Dementia Care Research Opportunities

2021

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Based on a targeted literature review, this vision paper emphasizes the importance of dementia-sensitive built space. The article specifically focuses on supporting spatial orientation and wayfinding for people living with dementia. First, we discuss types of wayfinding challenges, underlying processes, and consequences of spatial disorientation in the context of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Second, we focus on current efforts aimed at planning and evaluating dementia-sensitive built space, i.e., environmental design principles, interventions, evaluation tools, strategies, and planning processes. Third, we use our findings as a starting point for developing an interdisciplinary research vision aimed at encouraging further debates and research about: (1) the perspective of a person with dementia, specifically in the context of wayfinding and spatial orientation, and (2) how this perspective supplements planning and design processes of dementia-sensitive built space. We conclude that more closely considering the perspective of people with dementia supports the development of demographically sustainable future cities and care institutions.

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Photo Narrative: Co-Designing a Built Environment with Seniors with Mild Cognitive Impairments

Abstract: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Cited by 3 publications

References 21 publications

Considerations of the built environment for autistic individuals: A review of the literature

Considerations of the built environment for autistic individuals: A review of the literature

Exploring the value of multi-sensory aids in co-designing assistive home devices for older adults with cognitive impairment

Wayfinding in People with Alzheimer’s Disease: Perspective Taking and Architectural Cognition—A Vision Paper on Future Dementia Care Research Opportunities

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