In an earlier post I had shared details about Sensory Gardens for Dementia, however this post details another very important aspect of built-environment for Dementia i.e Dementia Friendly Room Design.
As per research, the estimated Dementia prevalence for adults ages 60+ in India is 7.4%. About 8.8 million Indians older than 60 years live with Dementia.
Dementia is more prevalent among females than males and in rural than urban areas hence it’s high time that we start thinking of the voiceless and underprivileged who don’t have any say in the infrastructure planning at the State level.
The fact of life is, no one knows the cure for Dementia and it is something we all are susceptible to, hence for the sake of our own future we as a Country need to start giving more thought and actions to promote accessibility for all.
The attached document “How to make a Sensory Room for people living with Dementia” authored by Anke Jakob & Lesley Collier is a good read for planners.
The guide book offers advice on best practice regarding the engagement of residents living with Dementia in daily activities that support their health and sense of wellbeing.
Not all of the suggestions will be suitable for the person you care for, for your home or your particular group of residents however it’s a good starting reference point.
This guide is to help draw inspiration from “How to make a Sensory Room for people with Dementia – Design Advice” when creating your own multi-sensory environment to suit both the needs of your residents and your daily work requirements.
The guide has been developed on the basis of a research study carried out in sixteen care homes in South England in 2013. The study looked into multi-sensory facilities and environments currently offered by these care homes.
Though this guide is slightly dated however it is still a good reference document.
The document can be accessed on https://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/ or can be downloaded here (Sensory Room for Dementia) or can be viewed below