Lenaerts / Development of a Handover Approach in Design for Dementia

Development of a Handover Approach in Design for Dementia

Authors: Lieke Lenaerts, KU Leuven; Niels Hendriks, Dr., (Promotor), LUCA School of Arts – KU Leuven; Andrea Wilkinson, Dr., (Co-promotor), LUCA School of Arts – KU Leuven

Supervisors: Niels Hendriks, Dr., (Promotor), LUCA School of Arts – KU Leuven; Bart Geerts, Dr., (Co-promotor), LUCA School of Arts – KU Leuven; Andrea Wilkinson, Dr., (Co-promotor), LUCA School of Arts – KU Leuven; Rita Maldonado Branco, Dr., University of Minho; Rens Brankaert, Dr., Eindhoven University of Technology; Roel Vandebeek, Dépôts des Arts

Research stage: Initial doctoral stage

Category: Extended abstract

DDR Statement

The aim of the doctoral research is to find accessible approaches to transfer the unique experiences a designer has with PLWD, to other designers who are unable to meet PLWD. At the start of the research, a literature study was combined with ethnographic research to provide a framework for the creation of a first set of handover tools. Through interactions, observation and interviews with PLWD in different contexts, insights were gained into multiple aspects of the everyday life of PLWD. These lived experiences were visualized with illustrations as moments of auto-ethnographic reflection.

From this research three concerns emerged to take into account when creating a handover approach in design for dementia; the designers’ interpretation, the uniqueness of each experience, and the search for methods able to transfer these experiences. In this framework a video was created for designers to gain an understanding for the lives of PLWD and to take with them as a source of inspiration in the design process. This paper contributes to the process of creating the video as a conversation starter on handover approaches. The effectiveness of the video was discussed during the CA²RE / CA²RE+ Ljubljana conference providing a basis for adaptations to the video and the creation of future handover approaches.