SPACE are delighted to be part of a major new research project that is underway in Scotland with the aim of identifying housing innovations that can better support those who live with cognitive conditions such as dementia.

The project, titled ‘Designing Homes for Healthy Cognitive Ageing’ will be led by Professor Alison Bowes, bringing together experts on dementia, the building industry, architects, housing providers as well as people in the community. The UK Research & Innovation’s healthy ageing challenge has provided £1.6m of funding.

Virtual and real designs will be constructed to demonstrate new innovations that will support healthy cognitive ageing. Stakeholders will then have the opportunity to review and evaluate the designs whereas older people will experience the designs via a virtual reality (VR) headset.

After each session, all parties collaborate so that they can identify practical, realistic and affordable designs.

Professor Bowes, Dean of Stirling’s Faculty of Social Sciences, said:

“The aim is to identify scalable and sustainable design improvements to homes which provide support for healthy cognitive ageing, enabling people, as they age, to continue living in their preferred environments as they experience cognitive change. This change may include significant cognitive impairment and diagnosis of dementia.”