Let's talk about better design ideas for Alzheimer's

Описание: Interior design can be a powerful tool to helping everyone live better, whether it's designing for Alzheimer's, babies, or the rest of us quirky humans.

Theresa's dad has Alzheimer's.

A few months ago, her family decided that to help preserve the health and vibrancy of her mom, it was time to move dad into a memory care facility. Her parents had lived together for 47+ years, so it wasn't a decision made lightly.

Throughout the process of watching her dad become confused about things that used to come so naturally, and witnessing attempts by her mother and now the care facility to make his daily life easier, Theresa kept coming back to one simple question: How can designers help caregivers extend the time at home for a family member with Alzheimer's?

After much painstaking research, there isn't an obvious conversation happening in the design community about Alzheimer's and dementia.

So on this episode of MyFixitUpLife talk, Theresa is sharing a quick tour of the common area at her dad's memory care facility, and talking with a few experts to explore how designers can reach into their bag of essentials (color, pattern, texture, shine, shape, layout) to make a difference for families.

Someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's every 67 seconds and it's the 6th leading cause of deaths in the U.S., so we're betting that this is a conversation that affects most all of us personally.

Marilucy Lopes is talking about how caregivers can modify the home environment, from painting black on doors that shouldn't be opened to using familiar elements from hobbies and family photos to help trigger memories.

Lisa Burkholder from the Alzheimer's association's Delaware valley chapter is sharing why pattern can cause fear and confusion, about how including nature into the environment can be soothing, and how to connect with other families through the walk.

Mitzi Beach explores how color can both create order and confusion for someone who is memory impaired. Mitzi and Theresa are talking about how there is a parallel between caring for an Alzheimer's patient and a baby. There are tons of resources on how to baby-proof a home, but we are at a loss for resources when it comes to designing for Alzheimer's.