Chris and Sally's House: Adapting a home for people living with dementia (innovative practice)

Dementia (London). 2021 Feb;20(2):770-778. doi: 10.1177/1471301219887040. Epub 2019 Nov 7.

Abstract

How can domestic housing be adapted to support people living with dementia staying in their own homes for as long as they choose? This paper describes the innovative practice of using evidence-based design personas in a building refurbishment project (Chris and Sally's House) with a multidisciplinary team of architects, ergonomists, psychologists and experts. A 100 sqm Victorian two bedroom house was adapted to help educate house builders, carers and relatives on how to better support those living with dementia to live in their own home for longer. The design principles include clear sight lines, mobility support and provision for overnight carers.

Keywords: Human Factors; built environment; evidence-based design; independence; personas.

MeSH terms

  • Caregivers
  • Dementia*
  • Environment Design
  • Facility Design and Construction
  • Humans