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Exploring facilitators and barriers of the neighbourhood built environment for people living with early-stage dementia

Resource type
Thesis type
(Thesis) M.A.
Date created
2018-09-24
Authors/Contributors
Abstract
Majority of research examining the impact of the built environment on people with dementia focuses on institutional settings, while the role of the community built environment is largely ignored. Using a mixed-methods approach this study examined the effect of the neighbourhood built environment on mobility and community participation of people with early-stage dementia. A conceptual framework was developed to represent key concepts and their interrelationships. The findings reveal that challenges to mobility and participation include: leaving the comfort zone, safety, a changing skillset, and losing their license. Environmental features that affected mobility and participation included: pedestrian-friendly areas, wayfinding support, and the availability of dementia-friendly destinations. Mobility and participation in community spaces provided: maintenance of lifestyle in a time of loss, personal freedom, and a sense of normalcy. These findings demonstrate the need for responsive planning and design of neighbourhoods to foster mobility and community participation in people with dementia.
Document
Identifier
etd19873
Copyright statement
Copyright is held by the author.
Permissions
This thesis may be printed or downloaded for non-commercial research and scholarly purposes.
Scholarly level
Supervisor or Senior Supervisor
Thesis advisor: Chaudhury, Habib
Member of collection
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etd19873.pdf 5.93 MB

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