Humanizing information about meaningful activities for people with dementia

Abstract

Stigma and discrimination regarding dementia are still very impactful on the experience of having dementia and of being a carer. To tackle this issue and uplift the quality of life of people with dementia and their carers, efforts are being made to push forward a change in the societal perception of dementia. These include raising awareness and promoting inclusive initiatives that con- jointly involve people with dementia and their carers, such as engaging in mean- ingful activities. Meaningful activities have a crucial role in enhancing the well- being of people with dementia, as a means for participation, connection with oth- ers, self-expression, and control. This position paper calls attention to the need for improving the design of information so that it is tailored to people with dementia and supports their self- determination, individuality and autonomy, and the feeling of living a meaningful life. Although there is plenty of information about dementia, often this is not tar- geted to people with dementia, nor designed in a way that facilitates their access and understanding. This is an opportunity for design practice and research to con- tribute. This position is driven by person-centred, rights-based and participatory design approaches and is anchored in the authors’ previous research on co-de- signing with people with dementia and their families to support their engagement in meaningful activities.