practical living
the director of nursing, whether you’re a
personal care attendant. And we talk about
the principles and what they can mean for
a person living with dementia, but also for
staff so they have a greater awareness and
knowledge of how they can use a building.
For example, for a staff person, if you
make sure the door to my loungeroom
is open and the furniture is arranged in a
seating group, the lights are on and the
curtains are open, it’s much more likely to
be used by a person living with dementia,
rather than if the room’s dark and the
door is closed. They’ll keep walking past
typically, because it’s not inviting them in.
As I said, it’s about using the
environment well, and that’s where the
education comes in, so that staff get the
most out of what they’ve already got.
That service involves doing a walk around
onsite with a group of people and literally
standing in a corridor and saying, “So, as I
look down here, which one would be my
bedroom? How would I know that?” It’s a
real chance to put the theory into practice
and to talk about ideas.
DTA is also rolling out a new app, the
BEAT-D app. How does this app work?
The BEAT-D app is the built environment
assessment tool for dementia app. And
what this does is put an assessment tool
that Richard Fleming and I developed a
number of a years ago into an app form.
The idea is that it allows people to
look at their environment in a structured,
systematic way. It takes you through each
principle, and there’s a series of questions
that relate to each of the principles. It’s
a simple yes/no answer, you can add a
photo, and then a report is generated
showing strengths and weaknesses. It’s
not about what score you get, it’s about
understanding why the questions are
asked and what the best answer is.
DTA has produced a series of resources
based on environmental design. These
include information about the literature –
the evidence base behind these principles.
That’s really important to recognise, that
this work is based on sound research and
practice that’s being undertaken all around
the world now for many years.
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We also then have some case studies,
so people can see what other people have
done. Then we’ve got the environmental
assessment tool, the original one as well as
the one for higher care and for dementia-
friendly community.
The last resource in this kit is an
Indigenous aged care design guide. Again,
that looks at the principles but focuses on
particular aspects that are more relevant to
an Indigenous context.
What are the best-case outcomes if
a facility is designed for people with
dementia?
It will reduce agitation, anxiety, confusion,
depression, falls, restlessness, stress
associated with bathing and reliance on
physical help. It can also reduce the use of
psychotropic drugs.
We also know it can improve eating,
wayfinding, motor function, independence
in dressing, mobility and activities of daily
living. Putting it simply, if we design well,
we really can help people live the life
they choose. ■
INTERNATIONAL DEMENTIA CONFERENCE
CARE IN THE AGE
OF OUTRAGE
11-12 JUNE 2020
HILTON SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
Call for papers
Submission deadline 8 November 2019
visit dementiaconference.com
General enquiries:
International Dementia Conference Team
E: [email protected]
P: +61 2 8437 7355
agedcareinsite.com.au 23