Architects and design teams have the ability to create truly supportive new build and refurbished care facilities for the nearly 1 million people living with dementia in the UK, however they must be enabled to focus on the individual needs of patients, and not be restricted by misapplied rules and regulations.
This was one of the findings of netMAGmedia’s fifth Building Insights LIVE round table, which looked at solutions for the UK’s challenges on delivering large numbers of user-focused facilities in order to meet demand. In addition, the multi-disciplinary meeting held at RIBA found gaps in understanding among designers and care services which must be addressed.
Other key messages from the event were that good practice design for dementia, increasing quality of life and reducing distress, was a case of ‘good design for all’ given that dementia cuts across all strata of society. Also, however, ‘co-design’ approaches for collaborating with users to tailor their facilities better to them, needed to be carefully handled in order to ensure that they are appropriate and effective.
A selection of respected experts, including those with lived experience of dementia and neurodiversity, added a broad range of insight on good practice for designers working to support people-focused dementia care in a range of settings. One key comment from the event (from Rob Hayles, health and built environment lead at design consultancy Citizens with Experience), was that “while there are commonalities between people, if you’ve met one person with dementia, you’ve met one person with dementia,” meaning that a one-size fits-all approach will never work in practice, and could cause more problems and distress for users.
The attendees included several academics and authors of design studies on dementia, including Eef Hogervorst, professor of psychology at Loughborough University, architect and professor at Stirling University Lesley Palmer, and Paul Rodgers, professor of design at University of Strathclyde. Palmer addressed the RIBA directly on shortcomings for dementia design, saying that she did not see “a meaningful route for engagement in the RIBA Plan of Work, there are still tensions between ‘client’ and ‘user,’ and there is very little about the joy of working with someone as an end user.”
In addition we were joined by architects working on a range of projects in the NHS and private sector; including Clare Cameron, director at PRP Architects, who called for “all schools of architecture to include design for dementia in their syllabuses.” Retired architect and independent consultant Robert MacDonald, who has Parkinsonism Dementia so joined the discussion remotely, bringing powerful insights from his own experience. Fiona Walsh, principal at Dementia Design Specialist Architects was frank in her views on the general standard of dementia facilities design currently in the UK, and that “design needed to be moved from care into communities, as 70% of people living with dementia are in the community.”
The event was sponsored by Amtico International, WMS Underfloor Heating, and Johnstone’s Trade Paints, who were represented at the discussion, respectively, by Sophia Wise, head of regional commercial UK & Ireland, at Amtico International, Donna Taylor, colour design manager at Johnstone’s Trade Paints, and Ashley Cooper, managing director at WMS Underfloor Heating.
The sponsors posed their own relevant questions to the panel, which spurred further debate on colour in interiors, and the design of heating systems and flooring, all of which can have positive as well as negative impacts in dementia care facilities. Donna from Johnstone’s Trade Paints asked how strictly the ‘rule’ of minimum colour contrast levels for critical surfaces was being applied, because an excessive adherence to it could produce negative results.
Ashley Cooper asked what role underfloor heating could play in not only comfort but also safety in dementia care environments, and responses included the need for smart controls to ensure that warmth was offered when users required it. Sophia of Amtico International explained that already having a range of dementia-friendly flooring products, the firm was keen to better support the design community. All three sponsors’ key takeaway from the event was the need for a “some kind of forum to share best practice and showcase work collaboratively.”
James Parker, managing editor at netMAGmedia and chair of the event, commented: “This was a different kind of event to the Building Insights LIVE round tables we have so far staged. While we again had a multidisciplinary panel expert in this crucial field, we also had professionals who combined their own lived experience of dementia and neurodiversity with industry awareness to provide a unique level of insight.
“We were honoured to host this panel discussion, which revealed not only the many positives of bringing a strong focus to individuals when designing facilities for people living with dementia, but also the considerable shortcomings of the current health system in offering the conditions for such design. This was an important discussion which we hope to create further events and platforms to continue sharing best practice.”
The full report on the round table, as well as a podcast capturing some of the key moments, will be available soon at: insights.netmagmedia.co.uk