Thinking outside of the Box: Medical Provider Perspectives on Adaptive Reuse of Closed Mall Sites for Mixed-Use Dementia Programs and Services

Abstract

The double societal hit of dementia and infectious disease outbreaks like the COVID-19 pandemic have raised a convergence of concerns for the future of care settings for people living with dementia. It is estimated that 5.4 million Americans have some form of dementia and these numbers are expected to rise in the coming decades, leading to an unprecedented demand for memory care housing and services. In searching for innovative options to create more autonomy and better quality of life in dementia care settings, repurposing existing structures, in particular vacant urban malls, may be one option for the large sites needed for the European model of dementia villages. These settings may become sustainable Dementia Friendly City Centers, because with enclosed mall construction, the internal infrastructure is in place for lighting and HVAC, with varied spatial configuration of public spaces. This paper describes the community-based focus group research with medical providers who addressed designs for adaptive reuse of an existing closed mall case study site. Focus group outcomes included discussions on four central themes about the adaptive reuse including: applicability of the concept, spectrum of programs, economic feasibility and onsite medical care.