People experiencing dementia have a more meaningful place to call home, thanks to design work done by University of Alberta researchers with Canterbury Lane, an Edmonton seniors' residence.
Redesigned and renovated features within the facility are based on the work of professor Megan Strickfaden and a team of students from the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, who partnered with the Canterbury Foundation on a five-year project.
The cutting-edge renovation to the 51-year-old building expands the space for clients experiencing dementia, and is designed to "change social engagements massively for the residents, their families and friends," says Strickfaden, a design anthropologist.
"The wing gives residents the chance to engage in spaces that encourage discovery, play and finding places where each person belongs."
The first part of the memory care wing, which was also supported by U of A design research, opened in late 2021, housing 53 residents.
The state-of-the-art space is airy and colourful, with warm lighting, fixtures and finishes that reflect a homelike rather than an institutional setting for residents, family and friends to enjoy.
Strickfaden and a team of human ecology students worked closely with project architects, drawing from previous case studies Strickfaden did on other care facilities in Alberta, the Netherlands and China.
Together, they helped choose the best spatial designs, lighting, materials and details like fixtures and finishes to help residents feel at home.
The researchers also teamed with Canterbury Lane staffers to get an understanding of their space needs for activities, worker training and connection with residents.
Interviews with the residents — using arts-based workshops — and their families and friends were also part of the process.
"We took 'destination' and 'home-like' approaches to the overall design of the dementia lane," which is divided into public, semi-public and private areas, Strickfaden says.
The public areas support wandering and exploration by residents, with distinct 'destinations,' including an art gallery, an Edmonton historic streetscape, a roadside diner area, an indoor green space, a common kitchen area and an outdoor garden.
"The dynamic collection of spaces gives residents places to explore, and gives family and friends talking points and a variety of ways to spend time with their loved ones," Strickfaden notes.
"The entire wing has homey features that echo, for example, kitchens of Edmonton and area from the '60s, '70s and '80s, so we play with deep attachments people have with their material surroundings."
The space exemplifies "community-centred care," says Orsolya Welch, a master of arts in material culture student who evaluated the design of the wing after it opened, to suggest continued improvements to the space that help keep residents "anchored."
"For example, eating together at tables that have home-like qualities like tablecloths, flowers and family-style dining puts less dependence on carers because there's a better match between residents' physical space and their internal knowledge," notes Welch, who also worked with Strickfaden on how to advance home-like environments in dementia care, by studying the design of Canterbury Lane and four other nursing homes in Western Canada.
"By exploring sensory experiences that include visible objects and textures, familiar sounds and smells, patterns of movement and distinct flavours, we can help residents keep their autonomy as their minds and bodies transition with age."
Having Strickfaden and her team involved in the project helps fulfil what the Canterbury Foundation wants for its residents, says CEO Heidi Hadubiak.
"We wanted to ensure that the programming and design we undertook were coming from a point of understanding and research, so that our renovations meet the needs of our increasing population of residents requiring memory care.
"The partnership with the U of A has given us insight into the need to understand who our residents are, including their background and life prior to their dementia diagnosis," she notes.
"It helps inform so much of their individualized care and recreational activities, and it's helping us ensure they're still living meaningful lives."
Human-centred design research including deep analysis and collaboration makes this project innovative, Strickfaden notes.
"The 'we are all in this together' approach meant the redesign was from the perspectives of the Canterbury's history, the folks who work, live and visit there, and consideration for future residents, while also blending their input with evidence-based research about care environments."
Along with Welch's work, the project was supported by U of A research interns Lara Pinchbeck and Jill Thompson and student volunteers Alexis De Villa, Jackie Fisher and Elizabeth Lai. The work was also informed by prior research conducted by Tori Ren and Nicole Gaudet.
U of A research on the project was funded by a Mitacs Accelerate grant awarded to Strickfaden.
