Presentation: "It's Not Just Alzheimer's: Designing for the Cognitively Challenged"
Presented by: Drue Ellen Lawlor, FASID
Available CEUs: 0.2 Basic
Designation: Welfare (W)
Subject Index: Design Specialties: Institutional (4.5)
This is a shortened version of the 3-hour program. In today's world, designers are often faced with designing for those who are cognitively challenged. Whether it is designing a space for a person in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or one for a teenager suffering from a serious head injury, the ultimate challenge is designing for a person whose process of knowing, including awareness and judgment, is affected. This class will present an overview of the many causes and characteristics of these conditions and then explain the best design practices for creating successful design solutions for these individuals.
Presentation: "Residential Applications For the Aging Client"
Presented by: Linda E. Smith, FASID
Available CEUs: 0.2 Basic
Designation: Health/Safety (HS)
Subject Index: Business & Professional Practice:Design Practice Management (8.2)
In the aging Client, aging demographics and the issues facing the aging client were discussed at length. While this class will review the interior design best practices mentioned in The Aging Client, its main focus will be on the application of the information. Application scenarios will require the design professional to address aging in place issues in residential and long-term care settings. It is not necessary that the Aging Client class be taken prior to this application class, although they are excellent pairing. The application in this course deals with ADU's (Auxiliary Dwelling Units) and so is more residentially focused.
Presentation: "Designing User-Friendly Interiors for Aging in Place"
Presented by: Wilma S. Hammett, PhD, FIFDA
Available CEUs: 0.2 Basic
Designation: Welfare (W)
Subject Index: Interior Design: Universal Design (2.1)
The first of the baby boomers reach 60 years of age this year. Designers who want to get or keep this demanding group as clients must know how to design interiors that meet their changing needs without sacrificing style. Special attention to the design details of color, color contrasts, lighting, and the selection of furniture, flooring and even window treatments by the designer can significantly improve how well baby boomers and the elderly live in their homes. To design user-friendly interiors for the aging population, the designer must understand how aging eyes perceive colors, and learn to use color contrasts that work to enhance and brighten rooms and their details. Furniture selection for the elderly is not just about aesthetics and function. It is also about fit. Careful selection of furniture by the designer can compensate for the physiological changes that come with age. Using specific criteria learned in this session, the designer will be able to assess old and new furniture so that safety, as well as comfort, aesthetics and function, are all key elements in the design.