A STUDY ON SPACE COGNITION BY THE ELDERLY WITH SENILE DEMENNTIA FOR ARCHITECTURAL PLANNING OF NURSING-HOME

本研究旨在了解老年期痴呆症老人的空间认知能力，并探讨房间易认知的养老院建筑规划。本研究共进行了四次主要调查。第一次是对日本养老院的全面调查，以了解物理环境以方便认知。采用访谈法和行为观察法对两所养老院进行问卷调查。三是对两所养老院的调查，将养老院的房间分组，便于认知。居住空间主要由四种方式构成，空间认知的线索主要有房间群的设置、房间的位置、从作为日常生活基础的生活空间的方向，以及门上的名片和颜色。第四项是在两家养老院进行调查，了解空间认知能力是如何逐年变化的。结果表明：1.养老院应设置在接近公共空间的位置，如日间、餐厅等，并可从这些空间看到；2.居室应分组，如3至4个房间为一组。起居室和洗手间应在住客房间附近。3.眼睛水平上的名片和清晰的颜色有助于更容易地认知自己的房间。

The purpose of the study is to clarify the ability on space cognition of the elderly with senile dementia, and to discuss on the architectural planning of nursing-home in which rooms are easily cognizable.Four major surveys were carried out.The first was over all survey of nursing-homes in Japan, to know physical setting for easy cognition. Various ideas were collected.The second was the survey in two nursing-homes by the methods of interview and behavior observation. The abilities of space cognition were clarified.The third was the survey in two nursing-homes in which residents'rooms were grouped into small groups for easy cognition. The living sphere were formed mainly four types of way, and the clues of space cognition were such as the setting of rooms group, position of rooms, the direction from the living spaces which were the bases of daily life, and name cards and colors on the doors. The fourth was the survey in two nursing-homes to know how the abilities of space cognition was changed year by year. Some types of year by year change were observed, and reasons of the change were supposed.As results, the nursing-homes for the elderly with senile demenntia should be planned as follows,1.Residents'rooms should be in positions nearly common spaces such as dayroom and dining room and should be seen from those spaces.2.Residents'rooms should be grouped into small groups, for example three or four rooms in one group. Dayrooms and toilets should be nearby residents'rooms.3.Name cards on the eye level and clear color are usefull for easy cognition of own rooms.