Research is providing increasing evidence of the potential therapeutic effects of the physical environment for people with dementia in long-term care settings. Despite this, facilities have limited options for learning how to create more supportive environments. Hence few facilities are incorporating those environmental features cited as important in the research literature. Existing options are either generalized (conferences or design guides) or expensive (hiring a specialized consultant). This SBIR will develop in environmental self- assessment protocol, providing an inexpensive means to conduct facility- specific assessments. The protocol will be derived using both rational and empirical techniques. First, an expert panel of consultants will participate in the development and refinement of an exhaustive list of environmental attributes posited to be therapeutic to cognitively impaired individuals, which will be translated into the assessment protocol. Secondly, this preliminary protocol will be administered in 60 SCUs. Third, the data will be subjected to factor analysis to empirically derive the conceptually meaningful items for inclusion in the final protocol. Facilities using the product will send the raw data to I.D.E.A.S., Inc. for analysis and will receive a report accompanied by information necessary to guide the design of appropriate environmental modifications.
