P1‐590: COME TO YOUR SENSES ‐ DEMENTIA‐SENSITIVE DESIGN SAVES MONEY!

Abstract

As we age, we must all adjust to the increasing functional limitations of our bodies, our senses and our mind. As long as we are still able to understand what is happening to us, we are able to develop our own individual strategies to compensate. For example, we put on glasses and seek a place with good illumination to read. However, when the normal aging process is accompanied by dementia, architects and designers must strive to offset the limitations of our bodies by designing surroundings that offer practical solutions. A decline in abilities should trigger efforts to make that person's surroundings safe and understandable. Our goal as architects should be to maintain as much balance for as long as possible. If such efforts are not made, a loss of competence becomes evident. This leads to fear. Fear in turn results in actions such as running away or hiding, and ultimately to social isolation. Thus, it is crucial to minimise this feeling of incompetence and uncertainty. Building for the elderly means thinking about acoustics, colours, orientation aids, lighting and additional practical details. This study describes how taking this approach can reduce caretime as well - in designing dementia sensitive bathrooms. We timed how long it takes staff in a care facility and in a hospital to help patients get to and go to the toilet. Moreover, we examined whether architectural measures can promote the independent use of the toilet and thus save nursing time. It takes 15 minutes each time to help patients get to and go to the toilet on average. The results indicates that small modifcations in the patient's room and inside the bathroom can support independent use and therefor save caretime. Minor modifacations in lighting, colours, orientation aids and practical aids demonstrate that dementia-sensitive design can markedly reduce care time: Taking on average 6 times a day 15 minutes for one patient to help this patient get to and go to the toilet, this means 1,5 hours caretime a day could be saved, if only one patient profits from the modifications. 1 out of 11 did so.