25 Dementia - Planning, Development, and Building for Homes and Care Settings {Update 1 - 09/12/13]

Dementia is at the forefront of the health and social professions policy concerns at the moment. However, this post signposts some of the concerns for entrepreneurs and professionals in property and building industries which will arise from the ever-formulating national strategy for dementia.

In some areas some of the spin-offs from the National Declaration include calls for:

• increased assessment, diagnosis and treatment of those who may have dementia, say, some 300,000 as yet not so diagnosed
• emphasis on those living with a dementia residing their home  
• adaptation of dementia wards and care homes to make them more dementia friendly
• dementia friendly improvements and changes in residences for a) fire safety, b) falls safety, c) retro-decoration, d) retro-furnishing, and e) assistive tecnology 
• planning applications for homes, care homes and other care settings suitable for those with dementia.  

Kent County Council are preparing advisory documentation for developments which involve aspects of dementia in project proposals. 

Details are awaited but I would expect the report to include concerns for:

• housing - both social and private sector developments
• developments for dementia care settings, eg care homes. 

Also, given the pending growth in neighbourhood planning it might be timely to include advice on making townscapes, green infrastructure, etc more dementia friendly.

16A Assistive Technology for Those with Dementia [Update 2 - 08/11/13]

In an early post I highlighted assistive technology to help those living with dementia. This Post identifies several areas where assistive technology is available. you may like to note that a variety of desciptive terms are sometimes used, eg for online systems or devices  m-heath and tele-health. 

1. activity monitoring communication systems inter-sourced through laptops, mobile phones, personal computers, TV set-top boxes, etc - usable 24/7 
2. exit door monitoring, so preventing access to areas to avoid risks of harm 
3. fire prevention and mitigation
4. information and communication technology for reminiscing and cognitive skills maintainance
5. healthcare data communications by wireless technology (tele-health devices)
6. integrated care and clinical treatment
7. mobile telephone for tracking or tracing an individual who is carrying a mobile telephone
8. patient record systems
9. personal alarms for assistance to a call centre 24/7 
10. purchasing on-line
11. signage technology for access, etc.  

 Later material will be added to expand insights into the above and develop other pertinent topics.

You may like to note that assistive technology is likely to become more prominent in health and care in the next few years. Emphasis is being put at presnet by government and industry in reviewing and developing a strategy for assistive technoligy.