The University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre has awarded its first international gold accreditation for excellence in dementia design.
 
Two buildings within a senior living development in the Tokyo suburb of Setagaya have received the recognition from the world-renowned centre.
 
Designed by Tokyu Land Corporation, the senior living development comprises 176 living units, a 75-bed care residence, accommodating people with dementia, and a multi-functional long-term care service to support patients who want to live at home. 
 
The university has been working with the company and their partner Mediva Inc over the last 18 months, advising on the design of the care residence and multi-functional day care centre, and creating integrated housing and services to support people living with dementia.
 
The accreditation process was undertaken by the centre’s chief architect Lesley Palmer and its learning development officer Lynda Hutton. The gold certificate was awarded by Professor Alison Bowes, dean of the faculty of social sciences, during a recent visit to Tokyo.
 
Ms Palmer said:  “The Setagaya project was a very exciting project for the DSDC design team to be involved in. The team had to work closely with Tokyu and Mediva to ensure the cultural differences in living and care provision between the UK and Japan were supported whilst ensuring the successful application of our dementia design principles.
 
“The result is a well-considered, contemporary design response which responds to the local modern vernacular and to our Stirling dementia design principles. The integration of kindergarten, community salon and multi-purpose care centre within a senior living development is a sensitive, logical approach to supporting people with dementia to live as independently as possible within their community.”
 
Akiyoshi Komuro, operating officer at Tokyu Land Corporation, said: “Dementia is one of the most important social issues in Japan. We believe that the Setagaya project makes a significant contribution to the society through promoting and supporting independence in people with dementia using dementia design.
 
“The project has created well-considered, authentic Japanese design incorporated with Stirling's dementia friendly design principles through a number of discussions between DSDC, Mediva and Tokyu Land Corporation, including a couple of visits to Stirling.
 
“Good design makes not only the residents, but also all people involved, from visitors to our staff who work there, comfortable.
 
“We will use the experience gained through this project to our future developments and give it back to the residents and the local communities.”