Our theme this month ‘inclusive design’ we believe is very appropriate and in line with the new standards that commenced 1 July. The Guidance and Resource book talks about inclusion and the word inclusive is used throughout.
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Moscow based photographer Ilya Nodia creates a touching portrait photography series of elderly ladies and gents titled Smile doesn't get old.
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Well winter is definitely upon us and I don’t know about everyone else but I have found this year so far to be incredibly cold and wet. I know we all have different ideas and perceptions of cold so maybe mine is because I’m getting a little older!!
This month the girls have been invited to a number of different and interesting supplier presentations.Tarkett recently had a speaker discussing Trends and Forecasts
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Our theme this month is ‘identity’ so how does that translate into product or design in a residential aged care facility?
At de Fiddes Design we look at it from two aspects - how do you design spaces that identify with so many different residents living under one roof? Secondly, what type of product can be offered to help with identity or personalisation?
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From Little Things Big Things Grow
How incredibly inspiring is the work by Hungarian fibre artist Ágnes Herczeg. Formed from colourful lace and all natural materials, each small scene of nature floats in mid air and is attached to a piece of natural, found wood.
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Surely 450 Scientists cannot be wrong! This month we are talking about sustainability.
The latest UN report that was released last week revealed that 1 million species are at risk because of a range of human activities. I don’t know about you but I find this incredibly troubling and we should all be outraged.
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Sustainable and affordable, is that possible? Finding products that match both criteria is always a challenge and now with the release of the new UN report it has become essential that we find products that are sustainable. Thankfully there are a number to choose from that tick the right boxes. Of course the other important thing to consider is the life cycle costing. In the long run does the product save you money as well as saving the planet!!
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Whilst Warrigal won the ACSA National Award for Aged Care Provider of the Year in 2018, did you know they were awarded the Excellence in Sustainability Award in 2017 and are the first aged care provider to be Gold partner in NSW’s Sustainability Advantage Recognition Scheme? Read on to find out more about how Warrigal committed to achieving real environmental improvements!
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Identity can be defined in a social or a personal context. Social identity considers how people see or define themselves in relation to a social group. It can also be how others see us. Personal identity is based on the unique attributes distinguishing individuals from others.
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This month we were asked to contribute an article in a new eMag called TILT by Build in Common. For any of you who haven’t heard of them Build in Common was created to EMPOWER, ENABLE and DE-MYSTIFY the process of building or renovating.
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Anna Wolf and Alex Bahar-Fuchs from the University of Melbourne recently wrote an article in The Conversation titled “An impaired sense of smell can signal cognitive decline, but ‘smell training’ could help” to explain that as we get older, we can experience problems with the sense of smell.
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Familiarity and reminiscence products are something we are always on the look out for in aged care. One of the simplest ways, of course, is by using essential oils. However, you need to be careful about using them as they can be very potent. Aesop, a brand that deals entirely in the uplifting power of plants, ran a promotion called “Purpose and Pleasure” .
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Wearable technology is certainly becoming a way of life. We have headsets to treat depression, scarfs to protect us from air pollution and now we have sunglasses from Bose that bring a whole new level of entertainment to immersive audio.
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A program in Colorado called ‘Granny Does Graffiti’ arose from the concept that both street art and memory are fleeting. Programs such as these explore memories and pathways in the brain for creativity and engagement.
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I would like to thank everyone who participated in our survey last month, we were thrilled to get such a great response. The winner of the wonderful Treasury Gift Voucher was Graham Francis, CEO of SwanCare. Congratulations Graham, enjoy the Treasury. This time of the year also means the launch of new products and showrooms, so the design team have been busy looking and evaluating all the wonderful new products on offer. They also attended the launch of the new Materialised showroom and I believe what is now on offer allows them better opportunities to design bespoke fabrics and wallcoverings. This means more exciting product to offer all our clients.
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The piece labelled 'Old Skool' is a firm favourite amongst Banksy fans and we cant help but love its ability to challenge stereotypes of the elderly and reminding us to look beyond what is first seen. This particular piece was situated in London’s Clerkenwell Road and showed old people engaging in the type of loitering usually expected from young people!
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We know Memory boxes have been used in aged care facilities for some time but finding one that is secure, hardwearing and aesthetically pleasing is no easy task.
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As we age, we can experience memory lapses and forget things from time to time. However, this is different to the persistent and progressive memory loss associated with dementia.
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I’m sure all of you know of Bernard Salt and recently I read an article he wrote on the future of aged care design. I’m always fascinated with his findings and observations and I truly believe his messages are right on the money!
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