"I want to go home."

When talking about an elderly care facility, “The Home” often has a negative connotation, but it doesn’t have to. The concept of this project explores the idea of home for people with dementia in a care facility, their need for independence and autonomy in a safe, comfortable, and meaningful environment. The goal is to create an evidence-based design for an assisted living facility that leans on the needs and changing abilities of those with dementia, to expose people with dementia to health benefits of nature, to foster independence and autonomy in a safe environment, to promote physical movement and exercise, and to encourage social interaction. Even though people with dementia don’t have the ability to advocate for themselves, they have an equal right to age with grace and dignity in a place that feels like home that is safe, comfortable, and meaningful.