Care Environments for People with Dementia
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences & Services".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 482
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The number of people living with dementia is increasing rapidly, and a cure has not yet been discovered. Current estimates indicate that approximately 50 million people are living with dementia worldwide, and that number is expected to triple over the next three decades. People with dementia often require long-term care, especially when their disease progresses. Dementia influences the way people experience their care environment. Theories from various disciplines (e.g., psychology, nursing, geriatrics, public health, health sciences, gerontology) all stress the importance of the care environment on influencing the functioning and symptom presentation of people with dementia. In general, a match is needed between the person’s needs, his/her abilities, and the environmental demands to ensure proper care for people with dementia.
Key goals of the dementia care environment should focus on increasing autonomy, supporting independence, and trying to enable the patient’s lifestyle for as long as possible. Supported by a cultural change movement, a fundamental shift in thinking about residential care has emerged. Care environments consist of several aspects, including physical, social, and organizational components, and impact those who live, work, and visit with dementia patients. Living arrangements and facilities are increasingly being viewed as person-centered homes instead of traditional, medically oriented healthcare institutions. The role of staff is changing as well, for example by focusing on remaining capacities and supporting autonomy. Furthermore, the role of families is highly important, as they should ideally form a partnership with staff to provide tailor-made and relationship-centered care for people living with dementia. New initiatives are emerging that are implementing radical changes in all aspects of the dementia care environment, which may be valuable additions to the long-term care spectrum. Furthermore, technology may be able to provide a valuable contribution to supporting people within their environment. However, knowledge of the impact of the dementia care environment on those living and dying with dementia, as well as those working and visiting with dementia patients, remains unclear.
This Special Issue aims to advance the knowledge of the effects of care environments on people living with dementia and their families and professional caregivers, across the whole long-term care continuum (e.g., at home, residential care facilities, nursing homes, innovative housing models). It welcomes manuscripts that provide insight into the impact and working mechanisms of the physical, social, and/or organizational aspects of dementia care. Furthermore, it invites studies on new models of care environments and their influence on residents, their caregivers, and/or the wider community.
Prof. Dr. Hilde Verbeek
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- Long-term care
- Senior housing
- Nursing homes
- Small-scale, Home-like care environments
- Group living
- Environmental design
- Smart homes
- Assisted living
- Extra care housing
- Specialized housing models
- Special care units
- Living arrangements
- Person-centered care
- Organizational culture
- Social environment
- Cultural change
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