title: Wayfinding for people with dementia: a review of the role of architectural design.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper provides an overview of the available literature on architectural wayfinding design for people with dementia in nursing homes. The results were to be summarized and substantiated through an interdisciplinary interpretation, taking into account changes in the orientation process of people with dementia.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Spatial disorientation and declining wayfinding abilities are among the early symptoms of dementia, limiting a person's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs) independently and ultimately, perhaps leading to institutionalization. A prerequisite to maintaining residents' quality of life in a nursing home is their ability to orient themselves within their new environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The available literature on wayfinding design for people with dementia in nursing homes was reviewed. Two aspects of interventions for residents' wayfinding abilities were identified: the design of the floor plan typology and environmental cues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The design of the physical environment plays a major role in supporting the wayfinding abilities of people with dementia. The floor plan design of a nursing home in particular has a significant influence on residents' spatial orientation and wayfinding. Additional interventions such as signage, furnishing, lighting, and colors are additional supporting features but they cannot compensate for an adverse architectural design.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the creation of a supportive, dementia-friendly environment, both aspects of architectural design must be considered. Design guidelines to support the wayfinding abilities of people with dementia were developed to synthesize both.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Dresden, Fakultät Architektur Lehrstuhl für Sozial- und Gesundheitsbauten, 01062 Dresden, Germany. gesine.marquardt@tu-dresden.de
authors.forename: Gesine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marquardt
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology*; D004779:Environment Design; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards*; D055816:Wandering Behavior / Q000523:psychology