THE world’s first design school for people with dementia is taking place in Birmingham, with the aim of helping to create buildings that improve the quality of life for people living with the condition.
Hosted by the Dementia Centre, HammondCare, the event will see people with dementia and a supporter work with design specialists to learn the skills needed to become more involved in the process of designing dementia-inclusive environments.
The design school will be co-hosted by associate professor Colm Cunningham, director of the Dementia Centre, and Agnes Houston MBE, who has been living with dementia since 2006.
The event will be the first in a series of design schools, which is hoped will result in a “rich bank of knowledge” about dementia-inclusive design that then can be used by architects, planners and developers to create more suitable buildings for people living with dementia.
Colm Cunningham said, “The idea for a design school for people living with dementia came from a discussion I had with Agnes Houston, MBE, who has been living with dementia since 2006 and has campaigned tirelessly to improve the lives of people with the condition. We felt there was a real need to increase the involvement of people with dementia in design. People living with dementia have in many cases learned to live with environmental barriers and have developed personal solutions to these challenges that people who do not have dementia could learn from.
“Our design school will give people living with dementia the unique opportunity to work together with design experts and contribute their ideas and knowledge to the creation of dementia-friendly environments. This school will place the person living with dementia at the centre of design, whether that be a home, a hospital, a shopping centre, a public space or a product.”
Agnes Houston MBE, who is a Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the University of Edinburgh and a member of the Scottish Dementia Working Group added, “A design school for people with dementia has the potential to change lives. Using good design can empower people with dementia to remain a part of community life. It can build confidence and helps to keep us safe.”
