“It was really interesting and a bit nerve-wracking,” says Fanshawe student Christine Belanger of the presentation experience.  But as it was the first time she was able to interact with the people living in the study space, she found that the positive experiences outweighed any apprehensions. “The project helped me to understand that we are designing for real people and not for hypothetical clients.  It was heartwarming to put a face to the work.”

“It’s definitely not just about physical design – this project gave us the opportunity to look at the space from a human-centric point of view,” she adds.

The students were asked to observe the daily living activities of people with dementia and how they interact with their surroundings in five particular areas – dining rooms, recreation spaces, bathing areas, nursing stations and wayfinding.  The students were asked to identify improvements that could be made at McCormick Home’s current building, which opened in 2006, as well as provide recommendations that could be used in the construction of new facilities.

“This project really opened my eyes to how design can genuinely support peoples’ health and well-being. I enjoyed the freedom to learn by experience,” says student Lauren Hylands.

One team summed up the research philosophy in this way: “The psychological framework of a human is so complex and delicate, our direct surroundings heavily impact not only our physical comfort, but also our mental well-being.” This approach helped to guide the sensitivity involved in seeing the living environment from the perspective of someone who is facing cognitive challenges.

“Being able to interact with people in real life and not just research online was a great learning experience,” says student Breymann Welch-Clark.

While some groups focused on more major renovations such as adding or removing walls, others focused on finer design details such as lighting, finishing materials and colour.  For example, enhancing privacy and introducing vanities and storage spaces more reminiscent of home would help improve the bathing experience for the residents and the staff providing their care. Replacing traditional serveries with open kitchens and breakfast bars would enhance the olfactory, visual, auditory and tactile experience. Another group eliminated nursing stations in favour of using mobile technology to repurpose the space for residents and families.

Common themes emerged from all teams, including creating an environment that is more home-like and nature-oriented, and one that is designed to stimulate the human senses and optimize the residents’ experience of interacting with their surroundings.

“The students’ design ideas were very innovative. I liked the range of recommendations, which varied from broad to specific,” says Hammond.