Ergonomics
Accommodating for ergonomics for elderly with Dementia is an essential element to consider as it impacts the user’s well-being and comfort level within the space. With considering ergonomics for Dementia elderly, the space lends itself as a Dementia compliant space that considers behavioral and psychological factors that Dementia elderly face that often go unaccommodated for. As Dementia elderly are heavily impacted by the environment they reside in, the physical and cognitive ergonomics focuses on the physical and mental stresses that Dementia elderly face. 56 During the course of the elderly’s disease, they are more likely to develop behavioral and psychological complications. Some of these complications could be signs of disturbed behavior such as agitation, mood swings, irritability, etc. 57 As the semi-residential Dementia center proposes methods that are not entirely clinically dependent, ergonomics carries a big importance in helping the elderly deal with non-clinical needs. The importance of ergonomics is to monitor and positively impact behaviors that are resulted with the progression of Dementia. These behaviors include restlessness, wandering, combativeness, and other behavioral challenges. As Dementia diagnosed elderly have deficiencies in cognitive and physical abilities, ergonomics functions as a filler to satisfy their needs for these deficiencies. Cognitive ergonomics is used to provide memorabilia for the elderly. This is provided through space planning. A method that will be implemented within the space is the “Memory Trail.” (fig. 59) The memory trail focuses on sensory stimulus, the stimulation theory, as well as the legible spaces, through the elements of legibility theory. The memory trail follows the sequence of sensory stimulus to a threshold space that evokes movement. All this activity would be revolved around a focused space that implements a landmark feature from Lynch’s Legibility theory. Through following this strategy, cognitive activity is triggered. Through cognitive activity, behavioral and psychological outbursts are controlled. 58
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