Guidance on Home Adaptation and Design for an Ageing Population

Based on the research and knowledge input from the dementia demonstration house project team, BRE are now developing a home evaluation and methodology which will assess how well a home is supporting elderly people and those living with dementia.

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The results of the assessment and scoring system will highlight features of a house that can be adapted to make a home more suitable for an occupant with dementia, enabling them to live independently in their home for longer.  It will provide guidance and lead towards greater efficiencies in the delivery of home adaptations for dementia and result in more housing that can accommodate the varying needs of owners and occupiers.  The aim for this tool is to better inform the decision making from various stakeholder groups and provide a mechanism to measure the effectiveness of person-based adaptations.

This methodology could be used to:

  • enable different stakeholders to work together to meet individual user needs and home attributes
  • help prioritise measures and changes, and provide the basis for dialogue with the client and/or carer(s) to progress adaptations
  • deliver repeatable and consistent outcomes for various impairments
  • provide a mechanism to collect data for ongoing research and provide a benchmark on which the outcomes can be studied and researched
  • a measurable approach to home adaptation for individuals, families and business owners
  • enable a person living with dementia to remain at home by adapting their housing environment to cater for their needs through simple design changes to the building
  • future proof new homes as well as existing ones

The assessment tool will include an analysis of various parameters of a house that have a proved influence on those with dementia.  The parameters are common in most housing and can have both a negative and positive effect on someone living at home with dementia.

 

Initial Research Parameters Identified for the Homes Assessment Methodology.

If you would like to enquire about a property assessment, or want to find out more about our guidance on home adaptation and design for an ageing population, please contact us on 0333 321 88 11 or email [email protected].