Resources on Environmental Design
The following resources have been collected to assist you as you work to change the culture of long-term care, and their inclusion does not imply any endorsement or recommendation by the PEAK-Ed staff or Kansas State University. We hope that you will find some of these resources helpful to your organization regardless of where you are in the Culture Change journey. Please note that web sites change rapidly and in such cases the link may be outdated. Some websites will include automatic forwarding to the new address. If this is not the case, try the more general web site address. Please send information on links which are outdated or do not work or suggestions for additional resources to gerontology@ksu.edu.
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American
Society of Interior Designers with the University of Minnesota.
This web site provides a section of summaries of research articles about
older adults and environments. http://www.informedesign.umn.edu
Center for Health Care Design includes a section on current
applied research as well as other resources. http://www.healthdesign.org
Culture Change Now, created by ActionPac, has pictures
and stories about
facilities committed to culture change. http://www.culturechangenow.com
The Eden Alternative’s official website: http://www.edenalt.com
Gardening for Good is
a national non-profit organization that reaches out to
professionals, individuals and caregivers with ideas and programs that
help older adults continue to enjoy gardening and nature. http://www.gardening4good.org
IDEAS Institute focuses on applied research on the physical,
social and
organizational environment for frail and impaired older adults. Resources
include a bibliography and short articles. Articles (March, 2003) include
What is your Building Saying?, Using Color as a Therapeutic Tool, Home
is Where the Heart Is: Designing Home-like Settings, Designing Bathing
Rooms that Comfort, Experiential Learning and Physiological Changes, The
Building as a Therapeutic Intervention, The Secret To Happier Meal Times,
Being There, and The Nursing Home of the Future: Are You Ready? Web site:
http://www.ideasinstitute.org
Institute
on Aging & Environment, University of Wisonsin-Milwaukee:
The Consulting Services and Projects section contains illustrated descriptions
of projects, including research-based design objectives. The Research
and Publications section lists a variety of applied research reports and
bibliographies related to therapeutic design for older adults. http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/IAE
WAI Continuum: http://www.waicontinuum.com/homepage.asp.
The
environment: There’s no place like a neighborhood. Call 651-227-0644
for free copy. Dana Rice of our advisory group described this as a beginner’s
tool to culture change. A link provides photos of various projects they
have designed.
http://wai.blueturtle.net/Experience/projects/LTC/Default.asp
Creating Successful
Dementia Care Settings. Companion videos for Maximizing
Cognitive and Functional Abilities, Minimizing Disruptive Behaviors, and
Enhancing Identity and Sense of Home. Series discusses integrating physical
environment, staff care practices, and residents’ needs into a complementary,
holistic dementia-friendly approach. Information is useful for caring
for all residents, not just those experiencing dementia. Health Professions
Press: http://www.healthpropress.com
Enhancing
Self and Sense of Home. What makes a place feel like home? How
necessary is this feeling to the smooth operation of a facility for people
who are experiencing dementia? Viewers will learn the ways in which personal
needs are fulfilled within homelike settings and how a facility can improve
resident functioning by making simple adaptations in the physical and
caregiving environments. Through individual resident profiles, this video
illustrates facility staff using a step-by-step process to identify problem
areas, recognize underlying needs that aren’t being met, and then
create more supportive, homelike solutions that recognize a resident’s
former roles, relationships and routines, that supports the resident’s
memory of him-or herself and that gives the resident a greater sense of
control or privacy. (33 minutes, video). Health Professions Press:
http://www.healthpropress.com
Maximizing Cognitive and Funcational Abilities. How do
the physical and caregiving environments of a long-term care facility
influence the functioning of its residents with dementia? Viewers will
learn to appreciate the challenges presented by typical residential facilities
when residents have to navigate daily activities with a host of age-related
cognitive and sensory deficits. Deteriorating abilities to maintain independence
are a hallmark of dementia, but they needn’t lead directly to helplessness.
With simple changes to the environment, facility staff can maximize functional
independence and minimize disabilities. Here is a step-by-step process
for identifying barriers and finding respectful, supportive solutions.
Through individual profiles of residents, viewers learn to apply this
sensible problem-solving method to some of the common challenges presented
by toileting, dressing and mealtime activities in long-term care facilities.
The reward for this approach is an enhanced quality of life for residents
and staff alike. (40 minutes, video). Health
Professions Press:
http://www.healthpropress.com
Minimizing Disruptive Behaviors.
Professional caregiving staff deals regularly with disruptive behaviors
in residents with dementia but often does not have adequate tools to decipher
the underlying causes of these behaviors. Through this video, viewers
learn to evaluate all aspects of the caregiving environment before working
on individualized solutions. Does a behavior result from normal changes
of aging or the disease process? Is it caused by distressing environmental
stimuli or by some critical unmet need? When and where does it occur?
Does it only happen with certain people? When a resident’s whole
environment is considered, some surprisingly simple solutions can emerge.
This video profiles several residents who are exhibiting common problematic
behaviors, including leaving the unit and rummaging. It takes viewers
step by step through a problem solving process that can effectively reduce
or even eliminate many kinds of disruptive behavior. (21
minutes, video). Health
Professions Press:
http://www.healthpropress.com
Sensory Changes in the Elderly.
This training program is designed as an overview of the
most common sensory changes in older people. Suggestions of correction
and/or compensator interventions are offered. A study guide is included
with the video. (19 minutes, video). Terra
Nova Films: http://www.terranova.org
Brawley, Elizabeth. (1997). Designing for Alzheimer’s Disease: Strategies for Creating Better Care Environments. New York: Wiley & Sons. Includes sections: Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease, Sensory Environment, Special Care Settings, Implementing Effective Interior Design, and The Design Process.
Calkins, M., Marsden,
J., Briller, S., Proffitt, M., & Perez, K. (2001). Creating
Successful Dementia Care Settings (four volume set). Volume 1: Understanding
the Environment through Aging Senses. 2: Maximizing Cognitive and Functional
Abilities. 3: Minimizing Disruptive Behaviors. 4: Enhancing Identity and
Sense of Home. This series discusses how to integrate the physical environment,
staff care practices, and residents’ needs into a complementary,
holistic dementia-friendly approach. 4-Volume Set available from Health
Professions Press. ISBN 1-878812-71-8. Companion videos available.
Rothert, Gene. (1994). The Enabling Garden: A Guide to Lifelong Gardening. Dallas: Taylor Publishing. Rothert manages the Chicago Botanic Garden’s "Learning Garden for the Disabled" program. Check libraries (out of print).
Schwarz, B., &
Brent, R. (Eds.) (1999). Aging, Autonomy, and Architecture:
Advances in Assisted Living. The four parts of this book address issues
that are pertinent to aging and long-term care: idealism and realism,
attributes of place and behaviors of people, provision and consumption
of care, and design: who cares?
This page last updated on 2/16/07