Background: An estimated 18 million people in the world have to cope with a decline in intellectual functioning that is not a normal part of the ageing process, called dementia. By 2025, this number is expected to reach 34 million. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 50-70 % of all cases of dementia. In the Netherlands, about two thirds of those affected live at home, with or without a partner. The increasing group of older adults with dementia presents great challenges in terms of creating suitable living environments and appropriate housing. Extramural housing needs further development, as opposed to intramural housing, such as nursery homes. The new extramural housing forms account for and compensate decreasing vitality and overall health status through the use of ICT and other technologies to serve human well-being. This should facilitate both residents and alleviate the intensity of care given by voluntary and professional care givers. In order to create these optimal dwellings at cost effective prices, evidence-based introduction of architectural measures and technological applications is essential. Existing knowledge is best viewed as an effort to expand and stimulate thinking on the relationships between dementia and design; thus, knowledge is largely a collection of hypotheses amenable to, and requiring, implementation and validation.This PhD-project will research some of the design aspects and needs, relevant to the technological home environment for older adults with dementia. This PhD project is shared with Hogeschool Utrecht, Lectureship of Demand Driven Care. Aim of research: Assessing thermal, lighting, and acoustic requirements, feasible home modifications and teleservices to sustain independence and well-being, both being the end product of all services rendered. Results so far indicate that requirements of older adults with dementia differ largely from the requirements of healthy older adults.
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In Nederland is er een groeiende behoefte aan collectieve huisvesting voor ouderen om de kloof tussen 'ageing in place' en institutionele zorgvoorzieningen te overbruggen. Participatie van ouderen in de concept- en ontwerpfase is belangrijk om het marktaanbod af te stemmen op de behoeften van (toekomstige) bewoners. Sociale ondernemers vinden het echter een uitdaging om ouderen te betrekken. Dit hoofdstuk verkent verschillende manieren waarop ouderen betrokken kunnen worden bij het ontwikkelen van nieuwe wooninitiatieven. De ladder van burgerparticipatie wordt hier gebruikt om verschillende rollen te verkennen die (toekomstige) bewoners zouden kunnen spelen met verschillende niveaus van invloed, van niet-participatie tot burgerkracht. Overwegingen voor betekenisvolle participatie worden besproken. Verder wordt een Nederlandse casestudy gepresenteerd waarin vastgoed werd getransformeerd op basis van de betrokkenheid van ouderen, die illustreert hoe door het gebruik van een innovatieve methode partnerschappen kunnen worden gevormd tussen (toekomstige) bewoners en besluitvormers. Dit hoofdstuk concludeert dat naast de huisvesting zelf, ook de gebouwde omgeving en de buitenomgeving in beschouwing moeten worden genomen om de leefomstandigheden van ouderen te verbeteren.
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In the Netherlands, there is a growing need for collective housing for older people to bridge the gap between ageing-in-place and institutional care facilities. Participation of older people in the concept and design phases is important to tune the market supply to the needs of (future) residents, yet social entrepreneurs find it challenging to involve older people. This commentary explores various ways older people can participate in the development of new housing initiatives. The ladder of citizen participation is applied to explore different roles that (future) residents could play with levels of influence varying from non-participation to citizen power. Considerations for meaningful participation are discussed, in order to show how collaborations can be formed between (future) residents and decision makers. Original article at: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9030301 © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI.
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