Designing for Memory Loss
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Abstract
We all live with the fact that someday our loved ones will need to have help
with day to day life and that we will too. As of right now there is a generally
negative feeling towards moving out of one’s home and into an assisted
living facility, and eventually into a nursing home. There is an added anxiety
when having to look into memory loss facilities. These institutions are taking
peoples' independence and in return creating a glum reality for people who
are already suffering. The current pandemic that our world is in, and Covid 19
being the deadliest towards our elderly population, there is another challenge
added to designing for an elderly population. With all of this in mind I
began researching with the goal in mind of designing the ideal living arrangement
for the elderly that suffer from memory loss whether that be Alzheimer's,
or dementia. To achieve this goal, I have a couple questions that need
to be answered, such as, how can a space’s design promote independence,
and a sense of community? Can a design be effective in deterring memory
loss? How can there be a safe design that is separate yet involved in the
community? How can a design allow for people to visit safely in a pandemic?
In my effort to answer these questions I started with exploring some case
studies which detail the current issues of today's assisted living facilities. My
final design is drawn from my research and investigation into how to create
the ideal living arrangement for the elderly population and those who suffer
from memory loss. This research topic will explore the down falls of the
current design of memory loss institutions, and how we can build a better
option for our elderly population.