認知症高齢者グループホームにおけるサブ共用空間の計画に関する研究

Abstract

Residents in the "group homes" for the elderly people with dementia spend a lot of time in the common activity areas. It is well recognized that these common spaces are playing important roles in the group home life. Besides the legally required common areas such as dining rooms and living rooms, some group homes have additional sub-common activity areas. At three group homes in Hokkaido, we have conducted the time study on daily activities of the residents (where and what the residents are doing), employing the behavior observation method as well as the interviews with the care staff. Purpose of this study is to clarify the influences on the life style of the residents coming from the different kinds of physical environments. Based on the findings, we are to establish a basic guideline for the planning of the sub-common spaces in the future group homes. On the survey day, behavior maps were drawn every 10 minutes from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Some of the results obtained from this study are shown below. Unexpectedly, the sub-common spaces were not so well utilized by the residents. Therefore, it is quite difficult to determine if these sub-common spaces are giving influence on the life style of the residents or not. With the better and more active utilization of such sub-common spaces by the group home managements, these spaces could play more important roles for the residents. Due attention should also be paid to the physical environments when such sub-common areas be included in the space planning of the group homes.