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illustration of living room in the Dementia House

4 Jul 2018

Dementia home created to showcase how people with the condition can live independently for longer

A show home designed around concepts and technologies which will allow people with dementia to live independently for longer has officially opened today (Wednesday 4 July).

The house, at the BRE Innovation Park in Watford, features a vast collection of intuitive ideas, all based on proven academic research, from simple open-plan living spaces to more hi-tech innovations such as ‘talking cushions’, which promote activity after long periods of rest, sensory ‘smart chairs’, self-regulating climate control and safety sensors in high risk areas, such as the kitchen.

All of the features in the home were designed around a range of unique personas, created especially for the project, which reflect four progressive stages of dementia, from early on-set to end-of-life.

The innovations and ideas have been devised by experts at Loughborough University, BRE and HLP Architects.

The house is open to the public, care-providers, local authorities, architects and anyone with an interest in dementia care to allow them to gather ideas, solutions and inspiration from the technology and design on show.

For more information about the Design House and the research behind it, read the full press release here.