Outdoor wayfinding in dementia

Abstract

We aimed in this study to investigate (1) outdoor wayfinding performance of people with dementia; and (2) which features of the outdoor built environment are used in wayfinding by people with dementia. We observed 13 older subjects with confirmed dementia and 10 controls on outdoor walks.Two accompanying researchers recorded performance in wayfinding, built environment features and use of these features in wayfinding. Results showed that people with dementia performed worse on wayfinding, even in familiar areas, but that they attended to similar features of the built environment and made equal use of features such as signs in wayfinding. Research that investigates the built environment for people with dementia is feasible and may help guide planning policies likely to enhance independent community living for this group.