Designing for sonic citizenship in Danish nursing homes

Abstract

With the aim of improving the soundscape in Danish nursing homes, this paper explores how a sonic citizenship perspective can be unfolded and discussed through a design-oriented research approach. Based on the experiences from an intervention study we argue that this perspective is important in expanding the focus further than formulating final solutions and making citizens proactive beyond the transformation phase. Building on thorough analysis of 45 nursing home soundscapes various interventions were implemented in 8 nursing homes from 2022-23. Evaluation of the interventions, through a mixed-method study, showed major improvements in perceived soundscape assessment. Through interventions that attenuate unwanted institutional sounds and introduce positive sound experiences, a better balance is found between foreground and background sounds, increasing the appropriateness of the soundscapes. The assessment also showed how the improvement of the soundscapes is closely connected to the engagement and behavioral changes of the staff and how they attune themselves to the soundscape. In that regard, the authors wish to emphasize the importance of anchoring soundscape interventions in the culture, and routines of the people being and living in the environments, to make sustainable changes in an environment and empower staff to become sonic citizens.