de Fiddes are excited to introduce you to our new blog page! This is a place where we plan to share our thoughts and reviews on design, architecture, products and the latest cutting edge research.
Our team will be posting regularly on de Fiddes projects, review new and exciting innovations, pass on to you the latest education, share and promote notes of inspiration and show you some fabulous photos from our interior fit outs. Keep up to date on latest products in the market, articles of interest and research findings from our Managing Director, Debbie de Fiddes.
Our blog will not only be an example of what keeps the team at de Fiddes committed to being at the forefront of innovation but a fun place to collect and seek ideas, advice for all things design and even just to share whatever is on our minds.
To be the first to receive our latest posts sign up to our newsletter inKIND here.
Enjoy!
This month a book caught our eye by Doreen Wendt-Weir -’Gardening in your Nineties’, (the sequel to ‘Sex in your Seventies.’) It’s a fascinating memoir about learning to garden for the first time after her partner leaves. Weaved into it are recipes, musings, heartbreak and love. Doreen wrote this whilst she was in isolation.
Read MoreSeeing that the outdoors are our February theme, we wanted to share some photos from this month from the de Fiddes team. We were lucky to all get out enjoyed the spectacular environment we are so blessed with. Have a look to see what Aged Care Interior Designers do in their downtime out and about in Perth!
Getting outdoors is one big win, but having activities to do outdoors is an absolute must! From nooks to sit and chat, to sensory delights such as lambs ears. What goes into your outdoor space should have as much thought to it as what goes inside.
Read MoreOutdoors have always been in, but never more so than now. More evidence is coming out regarding the importance of a connection to nature, for everyone, but especially those living in aged care.
We were interested to read a study from the Netherlands, that asked whether challenging behaviour in Nursing Home Residents (Including those with Dementia) changed because of the COVID-19 quarantine measures.
What was found is incredibly interesting and surprising!
At de Fiddes we are committed to staying at the forefront of innovative design. We have been creating enabling environments for residential, retirement, dementia and disability care for over 28 years; we know a thing or two (or three or four) about what works and what doesn’t! Our experience has informed our list of findings for the ‘2022 de Fiddes Design Trends for Aged Care.’
Read MoreFarewell to 2021! We are excited for 2022! The year is off with a bang - lots to do and lots coming up! We had a relaxing break and spent some time rearranging our office space. Plus as an added extra for our inKIND readers for the first 50 people to follow us and Debbie de Fiddes on linkedin we are giving a pack of Smell&Connect conversation cards!
Read MoreAt de Fiddes wellness is of great importance. However what wellness looks like in aged care is a little different. Traditional exercise and gyms may not be accessible.
That’s where Sound Therapy comes in. Sound therapy can range from recordings like guided meditations, to beta waves for focus and singing bowls for relaxation.
One wellness tool that caught our eye is the DreamPad Pillow.
Listen to the first Deb Talk of the year as Deb goes through what we believe will be the main design trends for aged care facilities in 2022 and beyond.
Read MoreSumming up the year in true Deb Talks fashion!
Listen to Deb as she imparts some wise words regarding inclusivity and who has the responsibility to include the elderly in our communities.
As we say goodbye to 2021, she leaves you with a great parting message – but you will have to listen to find out! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all the de Fiddes team!
Read MoreCovid has definitely taught us how important it is to have people around us that support us in every way and so this month we would like to focus on an integral member of the de Fiddes family. Vanessa Levi who has been with de Fiddes for 11 years recently under went Cochlear implant surgery! Read her account.
Read MoreWith the emphasis this year on our planet and saving our natural environs no one celebrates the Australian landscape quite like Pippen Drysdale does. The stunning colours echo natural Australia and celebrate the light, abundance and the details found in the environment around her home in Fremantle and WA.
Read MoreInclusivity can look like many things. Such as this competition, which asked aged care residents from VIC, QLD and NSW to submit an original painting, sketch, watercolour, photo or craft so the aged care provider could feature the design on their end of year greeting card range.
Read MoreWe are always on the lookout for décor that is not only aesthetically pleasing but can be of true value in a space. This month we stumbled across a fantastic product on Kickstarter which works as both interchangeable art and also opens to reveal a functional notice board.
Read MoreStaying connected and being part of a community is important to most. So, how do you bring together community, togetherness and connection in senior environments? Some of the many challenges faced today in senior environments but with careful planning, consideration and improved design we can achieve greater spaces that embrace community living.
Read MoreOn the topic of community and inclusivity this month Debbie and Gary came across a fantastic community space on their travels. U City by Uniting Communities incorporates both retirement and accessible accommodation and is host to a number of commercial and retail spaces including a divine Italian restaurant, dentist, legal and social services hub to name a few!
Read MoreWe know that a sense of community can provide a great source of connection and love for many but especially seniors living alone or in care. This feeling of community can come in many forms and we were especially inspired this month by Collective Wisdom, a fabulous new book by Grace Bonney which creates a living, breathing sense of community through the powerful words of wisdom from over 100 trailblazing women.
Read MoreThese fabulous, textured embroidery art pieces by Newscastle based artist Meredith Woolnough are fantastic inspiration as wayfinding features in residential aged care facilities. Depicting a range of organic shapes each elaborately crafted work is drawn through free-motion embroidery which involves using the most basic stitches on a sewing machine and moving a swath of water-soluble material around the needle!
Read MoreDebbie and the de Fiddes team have been busy working on exciting new projects teaming up recently with Adelphi Living to provide furnishing solutions for their latest display. Key team members also attended the opening of Capecare, Dunsborough an extremely proud moment to witness this great achievement by Gary Batt Associates Architects.
Read MoreHow can we improve the well-being of older adults through nature and outdoor spaces? Sit down with us this month as Debbie details the many benefits of nature and outdoor based activities for older adults along with a number of ways to make better use of outdoor spaces and ensure greater use by all.
Read MoreHave you heard of Forest Therapy? The wonderful concept is a research- based public health practice of guided immersion in forests with the aim of promoting physical and mental health whilst relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Forest Therapy is gaining acknowledgment globally as evidence based, cost effective and natural medicine!
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