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■ Wander Gardens – Like activity rooms, ■ Healthcare Staff – Healthcare professionals
wander gardens provide areas for residents to working in memory care undergo extensive
exert their physical abilities. Design elements training in order to work with dementia
like walking paths – whether outdoor or residents. In doing so, they build a close
indoor – allow residents to exert energy and relationship with the resident, and trust is
fulfills their need for mobility. built between the resident and their caregiver.
■ Stimulation – Managing stimulation within Including areas where staff can gather and
a memory care community is a vital element confidentially monitor residents, as described
when considering its design. Since residents above, can help to foster an environment
are often in different states of awareness that encourages independence but still
and don’t always communicate their needs, maintains a sense of order. Furthermore,
it’s important to provide a balance regarding designing staff areas for safety, such as
external stimulation they may experience. separating housekeeping closets (filled with
Focused stimulation, such as providing chemical cleaning supplies that residents
activities that stimulate their long-term could mistake for something to drink) from
memory, can serve living areas, helps to reduce the risk hazard
exposure to residents and promotes a safer,
While physical activity and socialization are often more enjoyable environment.
linked, maintaining relationships between residents
and loved ones requires an entirely different design Dementia is a truly enigmatic condition that
approach. Incorporating design elements that can requires flexibility and adaptability from caregivers.
help to strengthen the relationship between family Bernardon can support this need by anticipating the
and residents while also alleviating hardships that unpredictability of the condition and designing for
come along with the disease involve a variety of its different stages. Thinking about how memory care
design features. services will be carried out in relation to other aspects
of the senior living community will help to ensure
Social Enrichment the best care. Even through incorporating small
Due to the inconsistent nature of dementia and its details like the effects of lighting, visuals, acoustics,
related conditions, caring for a loved one can be very and even interior décor elements like mirrors, we’re
disconcerting to spouses and family members. Since able to craft living communities that keep residents
residents can be lucid some days, but struggling comfortable and relaxed through their care.
the next, it’s vital to create environments that can
enrich relationships between the resident and their
family members, fellow residents, and staff.
■ Family and Friends – While memory
care communities encourage visitation, it’s
important to consider the complications that
can come with it – for both the visitor and the DREAM.
resident. Design features like stealth corridors
decrease separation anxiety or confusion that DESIGN.
– which provide a secure, discreet hallway
for loved ones to use after a visit – help to
SUCCEED.
a resident might experience after a visit.
BERNARDON | Creating Effective Design for Memory Care Communities Page 3
