An Adapted Wayfinding System for Pedestrians with Cognitive Disabilities

This paper presents a novel wayfinding system adapted to people with cognitive disabilities. It adapts to the user in terms of route calculation, instructions delivery, and interface design. To do so, the system divides the calculated route into atomic instructions and uses street-level photographs at the decision points. To evaluate this approach, we compared it with a commercial navigation application on a field trial with a sample of users (N = 18). From the evaluation, we concluded that our system improves users' performance in terms of the number who reached the destination and were able to identify it correctly.This work has been partially funded by Projects "e-Training y e-Coaching para la Integracion Socio-Laboral" (TIN2013-44586--R) and "eMadrid-CM: Investigacion y Desarrollo de Tecnologias Educativas en la Comunidad de Madrid" (S2013/ICE-2715)

Involving persons with dementia in the evaluation of outdoor environments

Using virtual reality (VR), we examined the barriers to and facilitators of functioning outdoors in persons with dementia (PwD) and investigated the generalizability of findings in VR to the real world. An existing town center was modeled in VR. PwD took part in both real- world and VR walks. Based on the results, the model was redesigned and then tested again. Performance on the walks improved, and potentially beneficial adaptations to outdoor environments were identified, but limitations of VR as a representation of the real world were also identified. We conclude that VR models, together with a rigorous behavioral testing method, can be a useful tool for the evaluation of outdoor environments and for identifying improvements for PwD

Dementia-friendly wards: a review of the literature and pilot study of patient interaction and daily activity engagement

Purpose: The purpose of this paper, practice-based mixed methods small-scale study, is to explore the design features of a “dementia friendly” acute ward environment and, staff views on the implications of daily activity engagement for patients with dementia. Design/methodology/approach: Eight staff members of the multidisciplinary team who work full time on an acute “dementia friendly” ward completed semi-structured questionnaires. Thematic analysis explored responses to the open-ended questions, and a further environmental assessment tool rated features of the “dementia friendly” ward design, on promoting aspects of well-being in patients with dementia. Findings: Six overarching themes were found. These included: contrasting ward colours; clear ward signage; positive staff interaction; memorabilia, and activity rooms and items, had a positive influence on patient interaction, well-being and engagement in daily activities. The audit scores were rated highly for various aspects of the ward design. These included: the ward design promoting patient interaction, well-being, mobility, orientation, continence, eating and drinking and calm and security. Research limitations/implications: This practice-based small-scale study highlights the importance that a “dementia friendly” ward environment may have on patient engagement and well-being, from a daily activity perspective. Further research into the key aspects of design that enable meaningful daily activity engagement is required. Practical implications: This study supports staff perceived views of the positive influence that “dementia friendly” design may have for patients with dementia. Both the physical design modifications of the ward and staff interaction were highlighted as positively influencing patient well-being, and daily activity engagement. Staff members also felt that they needed to balance the clinical ward priorities, with the contextual requirements of patients with dementia, to establish an effective “dementia friendly” ward. Originality/value: The value of this research is the combined consideration of an environmental assessment tool and qualitative interviews with members of the multidisciplinary team

‘All the corridors are the same’: a qualitative study of the orientation experiences and design preferences of UK older adults living in a communal retirement development

Environments need to be designed such that they support successful orientation for older adults and those with dementia who often experience marked difficulties in their orientation abilities. To better understand how environments can compensate for decreasing orientation skills, voice should be given directly to those experiencing dementia to describe how they find their way and to understand their design preferences. This study explored the navigational experiences and design preferences of older adults with memory difficulties living in a retirement development. In-depth semi-structured interviews with 13 older adults experiencing memory difficulties were conducted. All participants were residents of one retirement development in the United Kingdom. Questions began broadly, for example, to describe their experiences of navigating in their living environment, before discussing any specific navigation difficulties in detail. Thematic analysis identified three main themes: highlighting environmental design that causes disorientation, strategies to overcome disorientation, and residents’ suggestions to improve the design. The design suggestions were particularly informative, heavily focusing on the importance of having memorable and meaningful spaces which were favoured more than signage as an orientation aid. The findings demonstrate the need to consider environmental design to support orientation for those with memory difficulties. Of particular importance is the use of meaningful and relevant landmarks as orientation aids which can additionally stimulate conversation and increase wellbeing. Given the range of suggestions in dementia-friendly design guidelines aimed to support orientation, it is crucial to speak directly to those living in different environments to learn how they find their way around and what design works in their environment

Wayfinding & Dementia: How Design Can Improve Navigation Among Older Adults in Assisted-Living Facilities

As we age, our ability to navigate within the environment diminishes and can lead to increased anxiety and fear related to day-to-day mobility. While the aging population continues to grow, the number of older adults living with dementia is projected to increase substantially by 2030. Research shows 40% to 67% of individuals diagnosed with dementia will enter assisted living facilities due to complex care needs and loss of independence. The majority of existing assisted-living facilities were not designed architecturally to accommodate and compensate for cognitive impairment; therefore individuals with dementia may experience reduced spatial orientation and confusion while wayfinding through the environment. Drawing on available literature, this paper examines how architectural and interior design impacts individuals with dementia, explores how individuals with dementia interpret their surroundings, and offers insight into best design and décor practices for improved wayfinding in assisted-living facilities

Co-Created Personas: Engaging and Empowering Users with Diverse Needs Within the Design Process

Personas are powerful tools for designing technology and envisioning its usage. They are widely used to imagine archetypal users around whom to orient design work. We have been exploring co-created personas as a technique to use in co-design with users who have diverse needs. Our vision was that this would broaden the demographic and liberate co-designers of their personal relationship with a health condition. This paper reports three studies where we investigated using co-created personas with people who had Parkinson’s disease, dementia or aphasia. Observational data of co-design sessions were collected and analysed. Findings revealed that the co-created personas encouraged users with diverse needs to engage with co-designing. Importantly, they also aforded additional benefts including empowering users within a more accessible design process. Refecting on the outcomes from the diferent user groups, we conclude with a discussion of the potential for co-created personas to be applied more broadly

Virtual Representations for Cybertherapy: A Relaxation Experience for Dementia Patients

The development of serious games has enabled new challenges for the healthcare sector in psychological, cognitive and motor rehabilitation. Thanks to Virtual Reality, stimulating and interactive experiences can be reproduced in a safe and controlled environment. This chapter illustrates the experimentation conducted in the hospital setting for the non-pharmacological treatment of cognitive disorders associated with Dementia. The therapy aims to relax patients of the agitation cluster through a gaming approach through the immersion in multisensory and natural settings in which sound and visual stimuli are provided. The study is supported by a technological architecture, including the Virtual Wall system for stereoscopic wall projection and rigid body tracking

Human experience in the natural and built environment : implications for research policy and practice

22nd IAPS conference. Edited book of abstracts. 427 pp. University of Strathclyde, Sheffield and West of Scotland Publication. ISBN: 978-0-94-764988-3