Disabling Spaces and Spatial Strategies: Feminist Approaches to the Home Environment of Family Caregivers of People with Dementia

ABSTRACT

The home environment becomes very important for family caregivers of people with dementia as a place of safety, retreat and care provision. Using a gender-based perspective, the authors analyzed thirteen interviews with family caregivers to understand how they perceived their home space. The data was analyzed thematically with the help of adjacency diagrams. Our analysis identified three main themes: compact layout, spatial flexibility, and the wider neighborhood. Given the gendered nature of caring, the findings are discussed drawing on the work of feminist architects regarding the home environment. The authors argue that feminist architectural approaches can usefully inform spatial strategies regarding dementia, ageing friendly housing, accessible living and the wellbeing of the caregiver. Different bodies and users’ needs should be at the epicenter of design, as opposed to conventional design and the current practices by developers, which may create a series of disabling spaces.

KEYWORDS:

• dementia
• adaptable homes
• ageing friendly environments
• feminist theory
• qualitative

Funding

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, DS. The data are not publicly available due to their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Phevos Kallitsis

DR PHEVOS KALLITSIS IS AN ARCHITECT AND GRADUATED FROM NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS (NTUA) IN 2005. SINCE THEN HE HAS WORKED AS A FREELANCE ARCHITECT, ON PROJECTS OF DIFFERENT SCALES IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS A FILM EDITOR AND SET DESIGNER. HE IS CURRENTLY A SENIOR LECTURER AT THE PORTSMOUTH SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE. HE HAS WORKED ON ISSUES OF GENDER AND SEXUALITY ON URBAN SPACE. HE IS TEACHING ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND LGBT THEORIES ON URBAN SPACE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH AND NTUA. [email protected]

Dia Soilemezi

DR DIA SOILEMEZI IS AN APPLIED HEALTH RESEARCHER AND QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGIST. HER PHD INVESTIGATED THE ROLE OF THE HOME ENVIRONMENT IN DEMENTIA CARE AND WAS SHORTLISTED FOR BEST RESEARCH IN 2016 BY THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS (RIBA). SHE HOLDS A BSC (HONS) IN PSYCHOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CRETE (GREECE), AN MSC IN HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY FROM UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX AND A PHD IN PSYCHOLOGY FROM UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH. [email protected]

Anna Maguire Elliott

DR ANNA MAGUIRE ELLIOTT IS AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCHER AND ASSOCIATE TUTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX. SHE HOLDS A PHD FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX IN AMERICAN LITERATURE, AND HER RESEARCH FOCUSES ON DOMESTICITY AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IN AMERICAN WOMEN’S WRITING. [email protected]