Our Thinking: A five-star hotel is not designed for dementia

By Kate Letheren, Partner ID-LAB Global

My mother was diagnosed with dementia in 2020. Over the last 12 months, her condition has deteriorated dramatically. While it has been distressing to see her decline, we are fortunate that the home she lives in has wonderful staff and beautiful facilities. But her world is small, even smaller now due to the last two years of intermittent lockdowns. Her room and the immediate hallway have become her world. Her journey to the dining room, activity area and front reception are her opportunities for interaction, mental stimulation, connection and comfort.

What we classify as ‘dementia’ is not one condition; it is a collective term for several degenerative brain diseases. In Australia alone, it is estimated that there are around 450,000 people with dementia. This number is expected to double by 2050. It is the second leading cause of death in Australia and is the leading cause of death in women. 

Although researchers are working towards a cure, current treatment is focused on management. Much of this work is designed to address a patient’s acute experience with the condition. Namely, alleviating the confusion, anxiety and distress, while aiming to increase enjoyment, from completion of basic tasks through to participation in more fulfilling activities. Treatment success is connected to a number of factors, not least of all a patient’s environment.

Research shows that physical space can play a significant role in determining what type of experience a dementia patient has. Well-designed spaces can enhance a patient’s experience of the world around them. Conversely, poorly thought-out ones can cause further distress, alienating patients and increasing the likelihood of irritability and depression.

While my mother’s physical space is limited, this doesn’t mean it cannot be stimulating, engaging and beautiful. Although the space can be considered to hit the brief of a 'hotel for the aged' , it is not a considered design for the needs of the people who live here and the complex conditions they have to live with.

Thoughtful architects and designers are aware that while architecture and good design cannot cure dementia, they can enhance opportunities for recognition and joy. They are aware of the need to include opportunities for visual cues (not cures), recognisable landmarks, and points of interest. They are also acutely aware of the need to integrate the experience of nature into the facility. The sensory stimulus of smell, touch and sound in the environment needs to be considered in the design and future maintenance of the facilities more than ever in the face of the challenges of dementia.

Consideration of these factors into aged care facilities has the potential to be an industry standard. To get there, all parties need to commit to better planning, clearer priorities for outcomes, and greater support for the designers to find solutions that enhance experiences. Better outcomes in most cases could be achieved without affecting project budgets. Creating spaces that encourage connection – to self, others and the environment – is not a quick fix for Australia’s aged care facilities. It will require evidence-based solutions, long-term planning and creative collaboration – all things we are proud to incorporate into our work day-to-day in the healthcare space.