Open doors: Designing playful objects for dementia

Fennell, Jac; Treadaway, Cathy; Taylor, Aidan

Abstract

This design-based submission comprises a prototype design for a playful object for use in dementia care and the ‘Open Doors’documentary video that explains the underpinning research collaboration. LUMA is a hand-held playful object, designed for people living with advanced dementia, and is one of six design outputs from the recently completed AHRC-funded LAUGH project.This qualitative design research used participatory and co-design methods and Compassionate Design methodology to investigate how playful objects can be designed to support the wellbeing of people living with advanced dementia. One of the major challenges facing society is how to provide appropriate care for the increasing numbers of people living with dementia and to ensure that they are able to live well, right until the end of their lives. The aim of the research was to investigate ways to stimulate, engage and bring pleasure to people living with advanced dementia through the creation of simple hand-held devices. LUMA is an object that was developed in collaboration with members of the Men’s Shed in Tondu.T he accompanying‘Open Doors’ film explains how the LAUGH design team exchanged their digital fabrication expertise with members of the Men’s Shed who were skilled in hand crafting wooden objects. The creative collaboration resulted in LUMA, a hand-held interactive object that brings the outside experience of nature inside through touch,light and sound

Citation

Fennell, J., Treadaway, C., & Taylor, A. (2019). Open doors: Designing playful objects for dementia

• Acceptance Date: Mar 1, 2019
• Publication Date: 2019
• Deposit Date: Mar 4, 2021
• Pages: 85-92
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7175001
• Publisher URL: https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa2-353220
• Additional Information: Fennell, J., Treadaway, C. & Taylor, A. (2019) Open Doors: Designing playful objects for dementia In: Neidderer, K., Ludden, G., Cain, R and C. Wölfel. (Eds) 'Proceedings of the MinD International Conference: ‘Designing with and For people with Dementia: Wellbeing Happiness and Empowerment', Dresden: TUD Press, pp. 85-92