ABSTRACT
We discuss findings from participatory health research projects with people with dementia involving a library, a museum and a town-hall citizens’ information service as well as a public transport system and the development of public spaces together with principles of dementia-sensitive architecture. We present a typology of two ways in which people with dementia orient themselves. Type one is socially oriented and seeks help from other people. Type two is individually oriented and tries to solve problems with planning and technical aids. Based on our findings, we believe that the transaction of the physical and social environment, as well as the activities that people perform, must be considered in order to develop dementia-sensitive organizations and public spaces. It is recommended to involve people with dementia themselves.
