1. ‘Hearing, sound and the acoustic environment in dementia care’
Maria McManus Director (DSDC NI) & Clifford McClenaghan, Associte Architect

2. How acoustically aware are you?

3. Hearing & Well-being Social Emotional Psychological Occupational
Educational

4. Our ears Listening – focused attention Hearing – capacity to listen
Balance – mobility and walking

5. Hearing Loss Conductive- esp. Down’s Syndrome
Sensori-neural - hearing nerve
Presbycusis- gradual, assoc. with hair cells
Tinnitus
Vestibular problems
> 71% older adults aged over 70 have some hearing loss
(RNID, 2008)

6. Hearing & Dementia Care
Aid functioning by
Simplifying and clarifying the environment.
Reduce discomfort & ‘clutter’
Supporting the person to
Communicate
Belong
Interact

7. Reduce Behavioural Symptoms
Noisy & over-stimulating environment
Anger
Aggression
Frustration

8. Hearing & Communication
Hearing assessment
Hearing aids
Light levels
Positioning of furniture
Reduce excess noise
Consider coping ability

9. Acoustic Basics
Why are the acoustic properties of care buildings so important to the well-being of the residents?
To answer that question we need to understand the nature of sound and its effect upon the receiver of that sound.

10. What is sound?
Sound is the sensation produced by a certain range of rapid fluctuations of air pressure affecting the ear mechanism.

11. What is noise?
“Unwanted sound”, can be defined as noise and as such it can increase heart rate, blood pressure, respiration rate and even blood cholesterol levels.

12. Two Types
Airborne - sources such as external, speech, music and loudspeakers
Impact - sources such as footsteps and the moving of furniture

13. The Acoustic Environment - Design Challenge
Keeping noise sources as far as possible from quiet areas
Structural precautions to reduce noise penetration
Internal acoustics of individual rooms

14. Keeping noise sources away
Traffic
Aircraft
Rail
Building Operations
Manufacturing

15. Traffic – 80/90 dB

16. Aircraft- 110 / 140 dB

17. Rail - 95dB

18. Building Operations
crane 96dB – varies

19. Sources TV, radio, stereos Doors Alarms Mobile phones Chatter
Meal times
Activities & visitors
Cutlery & crockery
Bins
Keys
Trolleys
Hoovers & buffers

20. Examples Door entry systems Common Kitchen Facilities
Public address systems
Delivery points
Lifts
Staircases
Circulation areas
Common Kitchen Facilities
Communal rooms
Occupants
Fire Alarm Systems
Services and Plant

21. 2. Structural Precautions The Concepts of Absorption & Transmission
Absorption – some sound absorbed by surfaces
Transmission – how noise carries - vibrations in the air or the construction

22. Reverberation Time
The time in seconds it takes for sound to die away by 60dB after a sound source has been stopped. (Sabine Formula)
An optimum reverberation time depends on use of the space.
Speech is best understood within a "dead" environment ( )
Music enhanced within a "live" environment
( )

23. Reverberation time is affected by
the size of the space
the amount of reflective or absorptive surfaces within the space
A space with highly absorptive surfaces will absorb the sound and stop reflection back into the space - yields a space with a short reverberation time

24. Designing for the Correct Reverberation Time (RT)
Reverberation time can also be adjusted
Absorptive materials can be added to or removed
Consider reverberation time in the design stage.
Making revisions to a space can be more costly.

25. Insulation
The heavier the construction the higher its insulation value
Reduce noise levels by using materials with a high sound insulation value

26. 3. Internal Acoustics of Rooms
Guidance
3. Internal Acoustics of Rooms

27. Individual areas Delivery / entry points Entrance/ circulation
Stairwells
Lifts
Kitchens
Fire alarms
Ventilation
Heating

28. Consider Floor finishes Wall finishes Ceilings Windows
Soft furnishings
Curtains

29. X

30. 

31. X

32. Bedrooms Sleep Rest Privacy/ defensible space
For activities, radio, TV, reading,
Absorbent finishes
Soft furnishings
Carpets/ lino

33. Paving, planting, screening

34. Key Points Think behaviour Night time,
Sources - TV, radio, alarms, phones!!
Staff chatter
Meals and trolleys
Respect quiet spaces

35. Summary: Key Points Insulation Absorption Transmission
Reverberation Time
Behaviour & Gadgets