Waiting rooms can influence the patient and family experience, as well as organizational efficiency. For older adults, especially those with dementia, waiting room design can unintentionally present barriers to accessing medical care. Design for an aging population can support equitable access for a broad range of patients in any healthcare setting by reducing confusion, improving the ability to negotiate spaces and decrease dependence upon companions.
To support Evidence-Based Design, The Center for Health Design has released a web-based, annotated diagram, focusing on the dementia-friendly waiting room. Person-centered design strategies are drawn from dementia-focused design interventions in residential settings to inform a dementia-supportive waiting room that can improve outcomes for all. These interactive and visually engaging renderings were created with a multi-year grant received from the Angelo Donghia Foundation and a partnership with BSA LifeStructures.
“The interactive design diagrams are an all-inclusive tool that allows people to visually see how design strategies might impact specific outcomes by connecting strategies and the research supporting them, to specific outcomes. They are one of our most popular tools,” said Debra Levin, Hon. FASID, EDAC, president and CEO, The Center for Health Design. “We’re looking forward to publishing additional room diagrams to support mental and behavioral health this year and next.”
To view the interactive design tool, visit:
https://www.healthdesign.org/tools/interactive-design-diagrams/outpatient-ambulatory-care-rooms/dementia-friendly-waiting-room
