A Study of Architectural Barriers and the Potential Role of Assistive Technologies in Long-term Healthcare Centres for People with Alzheimer's

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) changes a person's relationship with space. While research exists on how an interactive therapeutic environment can enhance the quality of life for people with Alzheimer's disease (PWAD), PWADs as end-users are not sufficiently studied. This paper examines (1) the daily activities that PWADs need to perform to understand potential architectural barriers and (2) assistive technology (AT) used in PWAD rooms at long-term healthcare centers. A questionnaire (n = 25) and interviews (n = 5) with five professional experts in daily contact with PWADs were conducted for this study, together with an observation of one resident in his room at a selected healthcare center in Vienna, Austria. Four interrelated aspects emerged from the analysis: (1) orientation of PWADs in space, (2) occupational therapy, (3) assistive technology, and (4) potential architectural barriers. PWADs generally prefer therapeutic environments that let them control their lives. Occupational therapy enhances the ability of PWADs to remember how to perform daily activities. AT can serve as a tool in interactive indoor therapeutic environments and occupational therapy. The results of this study show that healthcare designers should consider PWADs as end-users when designing interactive therapeutic environments, especially by employing user experience design concepts.