CEU Webinar: Dementia-Friendly Design and Material Selection

Presentation Summary:

When designing the interior of a dementia care home, one must have a good understanding of dementia and how it affects those involved – not only for those living with the disease, but also how it affects their families and care providers. In this session, presented by Altro Canada Inc., attendees will review the physical and cognitive changes associated with dementia and will learn more about the design principles that guide us in creating dementia-friendly environments. Our hope is that the attendees will be more aware of some of the do’s & don’ts involved when selecting interior finishes such as floors and wall cladding which will help them make more informed decisions and enable the creation of the most supportive environments possible.

Learning Objectives:

1. What is Dementia?
   • Understand the physical and cognitive changes that persons living with dementia experience and how those changes affect the design decisions that support their health & wellness.
2. Industry Guidelines
   • Review the 2022 FGI Guidelines and other international industry guidelines that provide best practice for dementia-friendly design.
3. Design Considerations
   • Review key design considerations by area type; enabling people living with dementia to find balance between safety and wellbeing.
4. Specifying
   • Dementia-friendly floors and wall cladding Understand the importance in selecting dementia-friendly interior finishes when designing spaces to be more supportive, safe and accessible.

Presenter:

Susan Drew
Market Segment Manager
Altro Canada Inc.

A graduate of University of Alberta’s School of Business, alongside her Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and 20 years experience with healthcare construction, Susan understands the importance of human-centered design. Over the past 7 years, she has collaborated with A&D and provider communities accumulating insights into the unique challenges of both behavioral mental health and senior care environments. Susan’s passion is discovering, and sharing, solutions in the built environment that benefit our most vulnerable populations.

This webinar is presented by: