ICCER Webinar

Best Practices through Design in Congregate Living 

ICCER is pleased to offer a webinar, Best Practices through Design in Congregate Living, on March 11th. Dr. Megan Strickfaden will highlight how design can support quality of life for those living in congregate settings, as well as their caregivers, based on her extensive research around the world. 

About the webinar: Design has the potential to support or disable residents' quality of life and caregivers' lived experiences in caregiving and therapeutic situations that take place in congregate living environments. Although family members, caregivers, and therapists work hard to make connections with friends, family, and residents in all living situations, one of the key (and often undervalued) factors is the design of spaces and the curation of everyday things. Furthermore, congregate living and congregate care have become increasingly challenged with a rise in memory and other special needs residents who often present negative behaviours.

This presentation highlights how design, through everyday things, spaces, and creation of place, is an active participant in supporting increasing the quality of life of residents and the lived experiences of those in caregiving and therapeutic situations. This presentation is based on decades of ethnographic research across four continents including three detailed case studies from Alberta. Best practices are illustrated through the numerous congregate living environment studies to show how simple design solutions can make significant differences. Additionally, lessons for future architectural design are also touched upon. This presentation promises to inspire creativity towards imaginative ways of using design with the aim to making deeper connections with and giving voice to residents living in and family members visiting congregate living spaces. 

_____________________________

Megan Strickfaden PhD, is a design anthropologist and migrant who has lived in seven countries. She currently makes a home in Edmonton's University of Alberta at the Department of Human Ecology (Canada). As a professor, Megan solves complicated problems for people who live without sight, move around speedily on wheels, and/or process the world differently from others. She has done extensive research on congregate care and design for disability on four continents. Megan uses ethnographic and co-created films to explore with and provoke change. Megan has directed/produced 21 films, including Light in the Borderlands (2013), Dementia Care by Design (2015), and Smoke Break (2019), and will be releasing two new films in 2020. Her research and films continue to impact persons who are aging and those with disabilities through built environments such as congregate living environments, transportation systems, and other designed objects in Canada, USA, China, and Europe. 

_____________________________________

  

Please note: This webinar is free for ICCER member organizations*, associate members, as well as individual members. The cost is $15/site for non-members to attend. See the list of members below!  

*ICCER member organizations: Bethany Care Society, Bow Valley College, CapitalCare, Carewest, College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (staff only), Excel Society, Extendicare, Good Samaritan Society, Keyano College, Lifestyle Options, NorQuest College, Shepherd's Care Foundation, Sherwood Care, Silvera for Seniors, St. Michael's Health Group, University of Alberta, Wing Kei

**Associate ICCER members: BioAlberta, Berry Architecture, Rexall; Note: Associate members are entitled to a maximum of 5 free webinar registrations. Additional registrations require payment.