Overview
When addressing dementia, it is crucial to identify the illness accurately, but also to implement effective and tailored pharma and non-pharmacological interventions so people can maintain a good quality of life (QoL), regardless of their condition(s), intersectionalities, and residence. Dementia leads to several disabling effects that affect people's relationship with space and others, such as decreased sensory acuity, mobility, social functions, and cognitive impairment, which has an impact on visuospatial orientation and processing of sensory stimuli. Modifying the environment to meet these changing needs can be a cost-effective and impactful strategy, especially in the absence of formal care and lack of resources to access support services, and it can be done without relying solely on restrictive measures or medication.
Project Details
Focusing on rural areas of Chile, where poverty, access to services, and regional heterogeneity pose significant challenges, the pilot’s key objective is to co-create context-adequate recommendations and transfer strategies on home improvement for PwD in these areas, to highlight enablers, and help reduce barriers and risks that might impair functionality and result in accidents, with the aim of maintaining functionality, reducing the burden of care, and improving QoL. To achieve this, we will apply a mixed methods methodology, conducting qualitative research with PwD, families, stakeholders, and experts (in-depth interviews, observation, and the Critical IncidentTechnique, CIT); analyzing data to identify barriers, risks, and enablers (Nvivo/R); co-creating workshops to develop recommendations for identified barriers and risks; trialing solutions in-situ; and measuring effectiveness using standardized tools (Zarit Burden Interview ZBI, CIT, and QoL-AD). We will then co-design, validate, and launch inclusive and culturally-appropriate material to share the results and recommendations with the public, with the support of the Global Brain Health Institute and institutions from Chile and Latin America. In the long term, transferring information on the needs of PwD and their families can increase the visibility of housing issues and promote the development of better policies, products, and services. This can improve QoL and allow aging in place within safe, inclusive, and enabling communities.
The pilot is being undertaken in partnership with the Municipal Care and Support Program in the Municipality of La Unión, in Los Ríos Region, a rural commune/city in the South of Chile.
Members involved
Macarena Espina Díaz with the Mayor of the Municipality of La Unión and the management team of the Municipal Support and Care program
Municipality of La Unión, Chile
Municipality of La Unión, Chile
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