development journal

A survey carried out during the research phase aided an understanding of the associations and experiences of existing care homes.

Responses in relation to memory and sensory experiences helped to reinforce the importance of their consideration within the design.

In particular, the smell of familiar foods gave a sense of comfort, therefore kitchens across the Complex were placed to allow the scents of cooking to evoke feelings of nostalgia.

Personal objects, furniture, music and films, tied people to memories of loved ones, time and place, enabling residents to display and store belongings is fundamental to the Residence apartments.

What smells/objects are nostalgic to you?

- lentil soup

- a home cooked meal scent is nostalgic in relation to my relatives actual home

- salty sea air, bonfires/coal fire, cold winter air

- a particular plastic smell from a favourite doll’s coat. a coal fire. the smell of a new penguin paperback book

- certain perfumes I remember when I was younger, skin so soft spray (remember it from holidays), christmas ornaments

- a smell that reminds me of christmas ... maybe pine

- incense in a church. candle smoke when blown out. hot water bottles. coal fires. pillow cases as christmas stockings. standing in the terrace at celtic park. ralgex muscle spray at the football. homemade chips fried in lard

- talcum powder from my grans house, leather from my grandpas glasses case and a newspaper my grandpa would read every morning

- armchairs

- momentos brought in by resident from their home to care home i. e. photos, items of furniture etc. shows their life

- photos are probably the most evocative

What reminds you of your loved ones/favourite place/home/ memories?

- wool blankets, smell of soup

- smell of favourite food

- a favourite song

- music often reminds me of them

- watching black and white films with my grandpa

- being at home, places we used to visit, the beach and coastal walks, theatres

- dumfries, my bedroom

- going on a walk out to the park with my pram and getting ice cream from the shops next door to their house

- the arran ferry. kildonan on arran. lossiemouth lighthouse. rankins cafe at north queensferry. cafe gandolfi in glasgow. celtic park. playing football in east kilbride. walks in kelvingrove park. watching my son perform at the traverse, oran mhor and lyceum theatres. the coastal path in dalgety bay. my beautiful wee border terrier finn. cousins reunions

- holiday destinations (arran and aberfeldy), my mum making a heart shape out of the toast crumbs left on my plate

- photos, music and objects. also locations associated with them before they went into the home

- paintings on the walls