New app to improve lives of people with dementia
In a first, an app is being developed by researchers
to help improve the environment at workplaces, public buildings and homes for
people living with dementia.
The app being developed by the researchers at the
University of Stirling in Britain will digitally assess how suitable a
residence, care facility or other environment is for older people and those
living with dementia and recommend changes that can be made to the
building. Lighting, colour contrast and noise of a house can impact an
older adult’s quality of life as well as their ability to live more
independently.
The app will take just 20 minutes to assess the
suitability of a two-bedroom home for an older person, the researchers
said. “This is a unique opportunity to revolutionise how we improve
day-to-day life for older people and people living with dementia around the
world. We are creating a simple way for anyone to assess how dementia-friendly
their environment is, and find out how to improve their surroundings,” said
Lesley Palmer, Chief Architect at Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC)
in Britain.
People living with dementia, family members,
healthcare professionals, construction experts or designers using the app, will
be asked questions about their surroundings, and asked to take
photographs. The dementia database, called IRIDIS, will suggest improvements
ranging from changing a light bulb, to more complex improvements such as
reconfiguring bathrooms.
“Typically, people living with dementia have greater
demands on the health care services and providing guidance on how to adapt
living conditions allows people to stay independent for longer and future
proofs housing for autonomous living,” Palmer said. “With around 50
million people estimated to be living with dementia worldwide, there is an
immediate need to invest in our ageing population and provide improved services
and facilities,” she added. The data within the IRIDIS app will also make
recommendations on property design and refurbishment for construction
professionals, the researchers noted.
05.06.2017
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