The Designing for Dementia Knowledge Library

11 Areas of Daily Living

Daily Living Challenge

DATA

the Mental or Physical Dysfunction

Knowledge

Person
exercising
changing clothes

I cannot change my clothes at the gym. It was so hard, and I stopped going to the gym.

Cannot sense or operate one's own body
Cannot tell distance
Cannot tell depth
Cannot tell directions or loss of spatial orientation

Mayumi Yamada
makeup

I have difficulty putting on makeup by myself. I do not know where on my face I should put my hands and how I should move them.

Cannot sense or operate one's own body
Cannot distinguish colors
Cannot tell distance
Cannot tell directions or loss of spatial orientation

I get eyelash extensions. I get makeup done by various people, including occupational therapists, helpers, neighbors and my daughter.

Mayumi Yamada
umbrella

I cannot fold the umbrella.

Cannot recall processes and procedures to accomplish things
Cannot sense or operate one's own body
Cannot tell distance
Cannot tell depth
Cannot tell directions or loss of spatial orientation

Mayumi Yamada
umbrella

I have difficulty opening and closing the umbrella because I cannot tell the button sticking out. I cannot find the button.

Cannot sense or operate one's own body
Cannot tell distance
Cannot tell depth
Cannot tell directions or loss of spatial orientation

Mayumi Yamada
footwear

When putting on slippers or shoes, I forget to put on one side of the pair because I can recognize only the right or the left side of the pair or only one of my feet, although both are present.

Cannot sense or operate one's own body
Cannot tell distance
Cannot tell depth
Cannot tell directions or loss of spatial orientation

Mayumi Yamada
changing clothes
storing clothes
choosing clothes

I cannot tell what clothes are stored where.

Cannot retain/recall your own behavior, experiences, and habits
Cannot retain/recall places and landmarks

Reducing things as much as possible, and storing each type of items in one place

Chie Iida (alias)
choosing clothes

When attending formal ceremonies, I need to wear formal outfits that are different from my everyday clothes, but it is difficult for me to remember what to wear.

Cannot retain/recall your own behavior, experiences, and habits
Cannot recall processes and procedures to accomplish things

My wife supports me only with what I need help with.

Akio Kakishita
choosing clothes

I cannot remember what clothes I have and where they are stored. I cannot manage my clothes.

Cannot retain/recall your own behavior, experiences, and habits

Naomi Higuchi
choosing clothes

I do not know how to dress for each day. I wear the same clothes all the time because I cannot tell what I should wear.

Cannot recall processes and procedures to accomplish things

Naomi Higuchi
storing clothes

I have no idea where my husband's suit is stored. I cannot find it when my husband asks me.

Cannot retain/recall your own behavior, experiences, and habits

Naomi Higuchi
changing clothes

When changing clothes, I become unable to tell up, down, left, or right of my clothes.

Cannot sense or operate one's own body
Cannot recognize shapes and sizes correctly
Cannot tell directions or loss of spatial orientation

Putting large clothespins to mark places where my hands and head are to come out. Clipping pairs of shoes with clothespins to keep both sides together

Chie Iida (alias)
changing clothes

I am less sensitive to temperature changes.

Cannot adjust to seasonal changes

Purchasing a thermometer

Chie Iida (alias)
changing clothes

Come to the day service without wearing socks

Cannot retain/recall your own behavior, experiences, and habits

Satsuki Ito
changing clothes

Come to the day service wearing pajamas under the clothes

Cannot retain/recall your own behavior, experiences, and habits

Satsuki Ito
changing clothes

As the seasons change and my clothes change, I need to practice putting on and taking off my clothes.

Cannot sense or operate one's own body
Cannot tell distance
Cannot tell depth
Cannot tell directions or loss of spatial orientation

Mayumi Yamada
changing clothes

Changing clothes is difficult and takes time. I do not know where to hold my clothes or where to put my hands through.

Cannot sense or operate one's own body
Cannot tell distance
Cannot tell depth
Cannot tell directions or loss of spatial orientation

Mayumi Yamada
packing

When I go on a long trip, I cannot put in my suitcase what I will need by imagining what will be happening during the trip.

Cannot recall processes and procedures to accomplish things

Naomi Higuchi
packing

I become unable to tell what I have put in my suitcase. When I take and lay them all out, I become unable to tell what I need even more.

What you see/hear immediately disappears from memory
Cannot retain/recall your own behavior, experiences, and habits

Naomi Higuchi
changing clothes for the season

It is difficult for me to change clothes as the seasons turn because I have to open all the wardrobes to see where I have stored what clothes.

What you see/hear immediately disappears from memory
Cannot retain/recall your own behavior, experiences, and habits

Naomi Higuchi
socks

When changing clothes, I have difficulty putting on socks. I feel uncomfortable after wearing them upside down.

Cannot sense or operate one's own body
Cannot recognize shapes and sizes correctly
Cannot tell distance
Cannot tell depth
Cannot tell directions or loss of spatial orientation

Mayumi Yamada