COMPREHENSIVE REHABLITATION CENTER

AIM
A canter for ageing Dementia and Alzheimers
To create an environment that interacts with the residents on a higher human
and emotional level, while still providing the necessary medical requirements.

OBJECTIVE
The project set out not only to provide a medically sound environment for elderly
diagnosed with Alzheimers but also a building that would promote community
solidarity and strengthen a persons sense of orientation.

NEED:
Alzheimers and Dementia are fast becoming significant epidemiological features
of the late twentieth century. Defined as progressive cognitive dysfunctions,
which effect ones ability to recall familiar objects, places and tasks, those
suffering are highly sensitive to their built environment. The number of elderly
suffering from Alzheimers and Dementia is also increasing. The elderly infirm
have often been neglected socially and economically and separated out.
Alzheimers disease and Dementia in particular carries the association of two
strong fears in society. The first is age the second is a loss of cognitive ability.
They can at any time be aggressive, quick to anger, and losing interest in social
interaction. Sometimes they are also hallucinating and seeing things and crying
out of fear, and they will follow wherever the nurse goes. Patients' sleep patterns
will change. They will awake at night and sleep soundly during the day. If it is up
to the acute stage they will experience time disorientation. They will not
recognize the existence of day and night. Environment and light are important
factors that affect the behavior and the main function of individuals with
Alzheimer's.
India was home to more than 75 million people older than sixty years in 2001.
This age group, which was 7.5% of the population, is expected to grow
dramatically in the coming decades. Analysis of the census data shows marked
variations in the rate of demographic aging within India ranging from 10.5% in
Kerala to 4% in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Other regions with elderly population
above 8% include Himachal Pradesh (9%), Punjab (9%), Maharashtra (8.7%),
Tamil Nadu (8.8%), Orissa (8.3%), Goa (8.3%), and Pondicherry (8.3%). The
demand for services will soon be evident in such places and will make the task of
meeting the needs for the older people more challenging and urgent.
Ten million. That is the estimated number of people in India who will have
dementia by 2050, up from the current 3.8 million.

While this is a scary projection, experts say that what is even scarier is the lack
of awareness and specialised care for the disease, one that mainly affects the
elderly. Specialised care centres for holistic treatment are a must, especially in a
metro like Chennai, they say.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/wanted-more-care-fordementia/article5187126.ece

SCOPE

A nursing quarters (day care)

Habitat for old people with Alzheimers

Multipurpose hall

Recreation space

Garden space(park with a pond)etc

Admin office

Doctor office for outpatients

Doctors and other staffs accommodation

Training center

Kitchen

Dining hall

Cafs and restaurants

In its relation with the healing environment that is able to restore patients
physical and psychological balance, the issue of healing architecture with
behavioural science, psychological factors natural lighting approach as one of its
core components
1) Orientation
2) Circulation
3) Material etc
And use of other psychological factors such as
Sensory Cognition (sight, touch, smell, taste)Provide spaces that encourage
Independence and Freedom(continuous railings, bathroom supports/bars, proper
heights of seatings and tables),ways without dead ends so that people dont get
lost and find their way back to their space etc.Individual Space (allowing for
personalization),Common Space (with different character such as kitchen, dining
room, entrance hall, living room activity rooms etc).

LIMITATIONS
Building type contemporary
Surrounding type: green filled landscape healing environment
Users: old age people and trained staffs
Use of concepts like way finding, healing etc in architecture to create a
comfortable environment for people living with these disease.

POISSIBLE CASE STUDIES:

Dr. R. Sathianathen, Secretary,
The Madras Memory Clinic,
D-89, III Cross Street, Anna Nagar East,
Chennai 600 102, TAMIL NADU
DEMCARES Centre for Active Ageing
R 7/A, North Main Road, Anna Nagar West Extension,
Near Anna Nagar West bus depot, Chennai 600 101

JUSTIFICATION
In the case of Alzheimer's, the disease decreased brains ability and function that
most often affects elderly aged 60 and over, this psychological condition has
slightly different characteristics with patients of other diseases, such as:
symptoms of time disorientation and the tendency to "wander" which makes
them astray and forget their way back home. Therefore, it needs a residential
complex with a healing environment that is capable of supporting the
characteristics.
By 2026, more than 500,000 older people with dementia are expected to be
living in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. In other states (Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala
and Tamil Nadu) around 20,000 to 40,000 persons with dementia are expected
within the next 26 years.
Compared to 2006, Delhi, Bihar and Jharkhand are expected to experience 200%
(or greater) increment in total number of dementia cases over the 26 year
period.
Other states (Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh,
West Bengal, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana,
Uttaranchal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) are estimated to
experience 100% (or more) change in number of older people with dementia.
Source: http://ardsi.org/downloads/ExecutiveSummary.pdf
People working in less mental stimulating jobs are prone to develop dementia.
This is because their low brain activity. Their choice of that particular job that
gives low mental stress can also be one of the outcomes of dementia. People

working in high mental stimulating jobs have increased brain activity therefore
the probability of developing dementia decreases.
Reference: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-08/uhoctmj080904.php

CONCLUSION
According to The hindu content published on oct 1 2013,The need for the care
takers and therapists for treating Alzheimers and dementia is highly demanded
in our current world. The massive shortage of care givers due to the lack of
awareness of the disease. There are about 4 to 5 percent of people with
dementia in urban and rural areas of tamilnadu.The initial stage of dementia is
forgetfulness and it leads to Alzheimers to extreme end.It can also act as drop in
centers for people who cannot look after their parents because of their work
routine.
To create an environment mindful of the need to balance these serious issues
and vital care provision alongside the social, spiritual and emotional needs of the
patients as part of our design thinking.
In the future the number of buildings may increase therefore creating a healing,
stress free relaxed environment using architecture can be effective for the future
peoples health.