Environmental design focusing on the interactions among residents in a group home for the elderly with dementia

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K16249
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Design science
• Research Institution: Kyoto Koka Women's University Junior College (2017-2018); The Hyogo Institute of Assistive Technology (2016)
• Principal Investigator: KITA /MIYANO Junko (宮野順子) 京都光華女子大学短期大学部, その他部局等, 講師 (30733711)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症高齢者 / 認知症高齢者グループホーム / 高齢者グループリビング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, we focused on the interaction between residents at a group home for the elderly with dementia in pursuit of a comprehensive environmental design that captures both the human and physical environments. Through our questionnaire surveys for staff at the group home for the elderly with dementia, we were able to determine the current status and issues surrounding how caregivers maintain the physical environment to in turn create a better human environment, including setting up seating arrangements that take human relations into account as well as table arrangements for small groups.
Through a group living survey involving elderly individuals with dementia, we were also able to determine the current status and issues regarding support for the daily life of elderly individuals with dementia offered by a human environment that makes minor forms of support from the operators and other residents possible.

Free Research Field

高齢者の居住

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

認知症高齢者の生活環境(人的・物理的)において、介護者が果たす役割は大きい。本研究では、設計段階で反映できていない細やかな物理的環境、あるいは人的環境を良好にするための物理的環境を介護者が担っていることが明らかになった。現在のグループホームの環境デザインにおいて、これらが設計段階で考慮されていることは稀である。制度基準遵守に留まらない介護者や高齢者の声を反映した設計指針へと展開できる点で学術的意義および社会的意義がある。