The Impact of Physical Environment in Supporting Residents of Care
Facilities with Dementia: A Review of Literature

Hessam Ghamari

(California State University Northridge, USA)

Abstract: Dementia is a devastating condition for those afflicted and affects family members and caregivers. Progressive cognitive decline in patients suffering from dementia requires special care that often is provided in care facilities. Studies have shown that the characteristics of care environments directly affect dementia patients’ quality of life by reducing their level of stress (Sloane et al., 2002). This study presents a critical systematic review of the literature on evidence-based physical environmental design and examines their implications for creating a therapeutic environment that support and improve the quality of life of residents with dementia. The environmental design attributes as well as their impact on the quality of life of residents of care facilities were discussed. The findings indicate that well-designed physical environments play an essential role in supporting residents with dementia and improve their quality of life. The findings also suggest that designers are presented with credible research evidence to address design decision for care facilities environment.

Key words: dementia, care-facilities, physical environments, and environmental design