Prof. Dr Karin Wolf-Ostermann, Janissa Altona and Buğse Yüceer from the Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research successfully attended the 23rd IAGG World Congress on Gerontology and Geriatrics in Amsterdam. The congress was organised by the Dutch Society for Gerontology (NVG-KNOWS), the Netherlands Clinical Geriatrics Society (NVKG) and the Dutch Professional Organisation of Nurse Practitioners in Geriatrics and Gerontology (V&VN-GG). The conference provided a broad forum for contributions from various disciplines and areas of practice aimed at improving the living conditions, health and well-being of older people. Prof. Dr Wolf-Ostermann organised an international symposium on the topic ‘Design for Autonomy and Quality of Life: Care Environments for People with Dementia from a Cross-National Perspective’. Dementia is one of the most significant age-related conditions worldwide and poses challenges not only for those affected and their carers, but also for society and healthcare systems as a whole. Innovative care environments are being developed internationally to better support people with dementia. These aim to promote independence and slow cognitive decline by involving those affected in everyday activities.
The symposium presented four international perspectives on care settings for people with dementia that promote autonomy and an active lifestyle. In her presentation, Janissa Altona examined how the design of the built environment influences the social well-being of people with dementia and their family carers. The built neighbourhood environment is increasingly recognised as a crucial factor in the social wellbeing of people with dementia. This study, conducted as part of the German DEN-HB project, essentially examined two questions: (1) Which places in the neighbourhood are perceived as positive or negative by people with dementia and their family carers, and how satisfied are they with the dementia-friendliness of the local area? (2) What role do social aspects of the built neighbourhood environment play in promoting social health?
Research assistant Buğse Yüceer presented a poster summarising the findings of a scoping review on the role of hearing-assistance technologies in the social health of people requiring care and support. The study highlighted the potential of these technologies to promote communication, social participation and the quality of relationships. At the same time, stigmatisation was identified as a recurring challenge in their use.
