DEMENTIA IN SOCIETY
Ageing and dementia-friendly urban design Edition 7 of the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health had a special focus on ageing and dementia-friendly urban design. The journal is published online by the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health, a global think tank and knowledge platform looking at how to better design cities to improve mental health. Alzheimer Europe spoke to guest editors, Daniel Gan and Zdravko Trivic, and to Helga Rohra, author of one of the papers included in the journal. Edition 7 of the Journal of Urban Design and Mental Health focused on ageing and dementia-friendly urban design. What led to this focus?
dialogues on health-promoting environments. Crossing disciplines such that they enhance each other is required before we can identify all relevant mechanisms and translate empirical knowledge into successMuch of urban design research is about ful evidence-based interventions and design. and surpass current public health paradigms public life between buildings, which can be to ask new questions. studied from multiple disciplinary perspec- Urban designers have a somewhat unfathtives. As public health scientists become omable concern about the quality of public For Zdravko, this means framing interdisincreasingly interested in the social deter- life. When Daniel broached topics on neigh- ciplinary design research in ways that are minants of health and wellbeing, including bourhood ties in some public health circles, translatable and helpful for design. Design neighbourhood effects and disparities, this questions included: “Why should neigh- thinking brings together different perspecedition attempted to bring together diverse bours matter?” The answer hinges on our tives and evidences to generate solutions approaches so that coherent frameworks may individual need for, or ability to perceive the without disregarding intuition. Zdravko’s evolve to address the most pertinent issues, meaning of public life. Numerous studies studio imparts and advances such design whether within or across disciplinary silos. have shown that the neighbourhood func- processes for health and wellbeing. Explortions as a psychosocial safety net and a social atory student works were included in this Daniel Gan caught sight of the gaps between arena, especially when mobility becomes lim- edition. disciplines through a systemic review of 29 ited as older adults experience cognitive and articles, now published in The Gerontologist sensory declines or other challenges. These on dementia and the neighbourhood built spaces support social health of many older environment (Gan, Chaudhury et al., 2021). adults and their care partners. As we appraised the diverse study foci and Numerous studies approaches, it became clear that brain health Unless we place front and centre the actual have shown that the in community settings is an “interdisciplinary experiences of older adults, designers may interdiscipline,” and a forum is required to have a tendency to create imaginative neighbourhood functions as a chart the way forward. Zdravko Trivic, Assis- worlds apart from the people we aim to psychosocial safety net and a tant Professor of multi-sensory urban design serve, while public health scientists ignore and health who edited a special issue in Sus- the seemingly unimportant details that social arena, especially when tainability (MDPI), soon connected and began make up their realities. An understanding mobility becomes limited inviting contributions. nod, or a way with words that dignifies and as older adults experience respects the other, these do come easily Why do you feel interdisciplinary with public health interventions, but they cognitive and sensory declines approaches to dementia-friendly urban can be carried by our interactions and pro- or other challenges. These design is important? ject atmospheres. The solution is suffusing spaces support social health broad interventions with the humanity and Despite advancements within individual dis- poetry that are inherent in urban design. But of many older adults and their ciplines, gaps are evident in interdisciplinary meanwhile, urban designers must master care partners.”
“
Dementia in Europe
35
