Design for Dementia

Design for Dementia is written by an interdisciplinary team of professionals and academics whose aim is to present lessons learnt from the Dementia Demonstration House at the Building Research Establishment’s Innovation Park. Known as Chris and Sally’s House, the project represents a unique opportunity to show in practice what can be done to assist people living with dementia to continue to live at home and as part of the community with as much independence as possible. This book presents evidence based practical design guidance backed up by over 15 combined years of research by experienced professional designers.

Beginning with an introduction which provides the background to the global dementia epidemic to allow readers to gain a better understanding of the issues they must consider, the book then discusses how good design principles, planning and construction standards can be used to effectively respond to the dementia crisis. The detailed findings from research using Chris and Sally’s House are presented and discussed, along with practical examples and success stories ranging from simple design features to the more complex use of sensors and automated ventilation.

The hope is that readers can apply the lessons learnt from Chris and Sally’s House to successfully integrate solutions into the design of new or refurbished housing for the elderly and also that the tools and insights shared will inform the wider context of good housing design, as well as the spectrum of constraints and design standards which often apply. This book is important reading for architects, designers, engineers and project managers, but also anyone with an interest in learning about practical solutions to aid those with dementia to live well at home.