First Name:
Brianna
Last Name:
Germond
Major Department:
Interior Design
Thesis Director:
Jeanne Mercer-Ballard
Date of Thesis:
May 2014
My Interior Design education led me to a passion for the field of senior living environments, specifically designing for individuals with dementia. My approach to generate innovative design solutions was through application of current and credible research in combination with the psychological experience of interior spaces. Good design is an important treatment factor because these individuals respond more intensively to the immediate environment, therefore, environmental design can be an additional method of treatment which allows individuals with dementia to maintain ability to function and improve quality of life. My design solution is a senior living community composed of independent living villas, an assisted living facility, and an Alzheimer's and dementia-focused memory care unit. The overall social philosophy addresses maintaining spousal relationships after one spouse is developing or has developed Alzheimer's disease or dementia; therefore, the varying levels of care and independence support the varying stages of memory loss. Specific design solutions include appropriate architectural design, environmental cues, a secure connection to the outdoors, a reduction in environmental barriers, a decrease in the institutional-feel of healthcare environments, and features to decrease negative behaviors. The design is person-centered to support person-centered care. The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia will continue to grow, making it even more increasingly significant to design proper environments for these individuals who reside in institutions, thus enabling activities of daily living (ADLs) longer.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, environmental design, senior living environments, wayfinding, spatial orientation