Creating a dementia-friendly environment through the use of outdoor natural landscape design intervention in long-term care facilities: A narrative review

Parinaz Motealleh; Wendy Moyle; Cindy Jones; Karine Dupre

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102148

Creating a dementia-friendly environment through the use of outdoor natural landscape design intervention in long-term care facilities: A narrative review

Health Place. 2019 Jul:58:102148. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102148. Epub 2019 Jun 18.

Authors

Parinaz Motealleh¹, Wendy Moyle², Cindy Jones³, Karine Dupre⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, QLD, Australia; Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: parinaz.motealleh@griffithuni.edu.au.
² School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, QLD, Australia; Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: w.moyle@griffith.edu.au.
³ Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia; Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: cjones@bond.edu.au.
⁴ School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith Architecture and Design, Australia; Griffith Institute for Tourism, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia. Electronic address: k.dupre@griffith.edu.au.

PMID: 31220798
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102148

Abstract

There is an increasing volume of literature on the positive effects of outdoor natural landscapes on health and well-being. However, to date, there is a paucity of research on the effect of outdoor natural landscapes designed for people with dementia living in long-term care (LTC) facilities, in particular, those which have incorporated the characteristics of a dementia-friendly environment (DFE). This narrative literature review synthesizes current knowledge on the effect of outdoor natural landscape design, which is aligned with the characteristics of a DFE, to improve agitation, apathy and engagement of people with dementia living in LTC facilities. The reviewed studies predominantly support the positive effects of outdoor natural landscapes on agitation, apathy and engagement of people with dementia. However, there are concerns about the methodological approaches, principles incorporated in the applied outdoor natural landscapes' designs, and the environmental assessment. Further rigorous research is required to understand the impact of the outdoor natural landscapes, with the application of DFE characteristics in the design, on agitation, apathy and engagement of people with dementia living in LTC facilities.

Keywords: Dementia-friendly environment; Long-term care facilities; Narrative literature review; Outdoor natural landscapes.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Dementia / nursing*
Environment Design*
Humans
Long-Term Care*
Plants*