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Dementia Patients in Social Care

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of the Institution]

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Dementia Patients in Social Care

Introduction

Changes in cerebral functions of the brain result in a wide range of progressive,

permanent and usually specific disorders which is commonly called as Dementia. Alzheimer's

Disease and Parkinson's Disease is one of the most common disorders of the brain. People who

are the victims of Dementia or mostly who are encountered by it faces several changes like

planning activities with great difficulty, spatial perception, on the brink of stress and depression

and short-term memory loss. In an aged care residential proficiency, the physical environment is

a serious challenge for people with dementia (Nakanishi, 2017).

For this essay, the physical environment of a forty-bed residential aged care facility

located in a rural town of approximately thirty thousand people was observed. After considerable

observation of the facility, some findings were made regarding the environment of the aged care

facility, particularly for dementia patients. These recommendations are made based on the past

literature available and describe the significant components of the built environment which could

make a difference to care provided particularly to dementia patients. The important elements for

a better-built environment for dementia patients are signage, lighting, flooring, seating, and

navigation. The appropriate uses of these elements in the facility observed are mentioned in the

essay.
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Recommendations

Design and Dementia

For the people of dementia, a design must deliberately make sense of tranquil, and it

should reduce noise, lighting, odor, and risk. By clinical fitness and suitability and functionality,

furniture and furnishings, fixtures and fittings have usually been chosen in the healthcare

settings, settings, and floorings. A more appropriate use of textures and patterns and better

surfaces have improvised the residential aged care environment both visually and functionally

which reduced the stress of the residents and workers and making a homelike atmosphere over

the recent years (Lee et al., 2017). In recent years, as the healthcare community has become more

aware of the fact that colors attract and effects people, so the colors in healthcare have changed a

lot. However, the subject of color and its healing benefits remains the matter of discussion

between researchers who are analyzing and studying dementia. Nonetheless, the most important

considerations in any settings are attaining effective color contrast to support the senses of the

aged and to amplify the vision of the older persons (Zhang et al., 2016).

The greatest effect and impact on the success and accomplishments of the health care

settings like floorings and seating is the design consideration of Lightning. It is vital for the older

person to function and to see maximum independence as light have consequences, and it is

complex to provide or to give appropriate lighting. In modern residential aged care, one of the

biggest issues is improper and insufficient lighting (Zhang et al., 2016). In recent years, many

people with dementia have developed the interest in recreational parks, gardens and outside areas

which are important for them but these areas are not available as always, and they are not being

utilized in the institutional settings. Some solutions for people with dementia are being provided
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by new products and technology as technological advances are now a significant part of

healthcare (Dewing, 2016).

Suggestions for Better Design Principles in the Care Facility Observed

A dementia sociable unit helps to support retained skills and functions and to balance the

effects of dementia which is the main purpose of it. A person with dementia needs a maintained

quality of life for the wanted result (Murdoch et al., 2013).Through the responses of people with

dementia, the value of life is conveyed to them from their atmosphere and the environment. It is

impossible to measure background and culture as they predictably impact on these rejoinders or

responses. In 1998, Kitwood, Bowe, and Loveday stated that the people with dementia show

happiness and comfort when they express their needs and desires in a satisfactory way, takes the

pledge to social friends and take a liking towards the aspects of daily life (Murdoch et al., 2013).

A homely environment can be maintained by the signage of or by accommodating eight and

twelve residents in a location as it is suggested by the international experts. If the creative

methods and tactics are applied to design, it can make small groups of people within big

buildings as an alternative to multiplying the small individual units. Each room should be

decorated, set and furnished to associate its purpose and function in the same way like an

average home as it is the requirement of the domestic character. The designs should facilitate the

rooms to be easily recognizable and visible with small efforts as it will be easier for the patients

to find the way and it will help them in navigation. Lastly, the environment should encourage the

patients to be active, and the area should have activity spaces for them. (Lee et al., 2017)
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Floor Plan

For patients or residents with dementia to have an opportunity at using their reserved

capabilities by making the best use of familiarity, control, feeling of freedom and ease in finding

their way, while also minimizing the opportunities for alienation or feeling of imprisonment and

failure a successful floor plan is required (Nakanishi, 2017).

Specific Spaces Bedroom

A private space which must be in some situations shared with the staff is called the

bedroom. Bedrooms successfully designed must include the following things, providing

opportunities for rooms to be personalized by the residents, clutter minimized by ensuring

enlarged room sizes, with storage which is unobtrusive, non-slip floor coverings which are warm

but easily cleaned, Familiar furniture used for residents, ample personal area provided for

residents to think and make untroublesome choices, providing orientation to the leaving general

environment and easily recognizable rooms are provided (Murdoch et al., 2013).

Toilet and Bathroom

Independence in toileting and personal hygiene should be provided to the residents. A

sense of failure will be minimized by this and self-esteem will also be increased. To achieve this

objective the toilets must be built to include the following, for assistance in recognition of

equipment a variety of colors should be used, hand basins colored in blue while brushes painted

in red as an example, supporting equipment which is unobtrusive should be installed, grab rails,

for example, Equipment which is familiar in style & positioning should be provided, domestic

designed taps which have the normal opening positions for cold & hot (Zhang et al., 2016).
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Activity Areas

Dining areas, social space, outdoor space & kitchens should be designed as to facilitate

the people who have lost some of their capabilities to make and plan decisions and their ease of

use for them, while also to avoid putting them in uncomfortable situations by decreasing the

opportunity of failure. To make useful and effective activity areas the following things must be

found in them, secure psychological environment, balanced stimulation, time & place

orientation, maximize engagement & concentration in expressive tasks, improved possibility for

simple physical tasks and minimized disturbances of behavior.

Dining Room

An atmosphere for enjoyable & calm meal times should be provided, enlarged styles of

dining rooms or cafeterias don’t allow for this to happen and cause discomfort and confusion to

the resident s who have dementia. Nutrition will be improved and meal times will be an

enhanced experience for the residents of the provision of easily recognizable and small dining

rooms/cafeterias are taken. To provide a dining room which facilitates the residents several

things must be considered, installation of dining chairs which provide support & stability,

enhancement of functional ability of the room by improving lighting to increase ease in

recognizing food & equipment, enough space for five to seven person tables to be installed

should be provided, assistance in ease of use & identification of crockery, cutlery & utensils

should be provided by using a variety of colors, crockery storage should be provided with

furniture, round/oval tables do not identify the personal space of a person appropriately,

therefore, square tables should be installed to avoid un-comfortability to the residents (Borson et

al., 2014)
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Outdoor Space

The most beneficial asset for a dementia patient can be the external space provided by a

facility, and for the best use of this asset, the outdoor area must include the following, safety,

should be exciting and interesting, fixed seating should be provided, should be easily accessible,

user friendly & visible, discreetly secured at all exits and around complete parameter, should

have ample space to easily satisfy any need for long walks or other exercises, should be designed

in such a way to facilitate ease of return indoor, and an area where gardening, untidy activities

and watering are encouraged, if a viable option.

Conclusion

People with dementia tend to utilize their held back abilities with minimum frustration

and lives through the highest quality of life in a specifically designed environment. In aged care

facilities, operatives should think about how space which is needed for those of their lodgers and

residents going through the range of initial, middle and final stages of dementia will differ, and

accommodation policies and develop management which reports about these changes.
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References

Borson, S., Scanlan, J. M., Sadak, T., Lessig, M., & Vitaliano, P. (2014). Dementia services

mini-screen: a simple method to identify patients and caregivers in need of enhanced

dementia care services. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(8), 746-755.

Dewing, J., & Dijk, S. (2016). What is the current state of care for older people with dementia in

general hospitals? A literature review. Dementia, 15(1), 106-124.

Lee, R. P., Bamford, C., Poole, M., McLellan, E., Exley, C., & Robinson, L. (2017). End of life

care for people with dementia: The views of health professionals, social care service

managers and frontline staff on key requirements for good practice. PloS one, 12(6),

e0179355.

Nakanishi, M., & Nakashima, T. (2014). Features of the Japanese national dementia strategy in

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RightTimePlaceCare Consortium. (2015). The association between physical dependency

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Vernooij-Dassen, M., & Moniz-Cook, E. (2014). Raising the standard of applied dementia care

research: addressing the implementation error.

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Zhang, S., Edwards, H., Yates, P., Li, C., & Guo, Q. (2014). Self-efficacy partially mediates

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Mordoch, E., Osterreicher, A., Guse, L., Roger, K., & Thompson, G. (2013). Use of social commitment

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