Better-Designed Communities Can Help With the Rising Tide of Dementia

Green spaces, walkable neighborhoods, and life-enhancing buildings call all help in the fight against dementia

Dementia comes with confusion, trouble walking, and a greater need for social connection. How we design our homes and communities can all help in addressing these issues. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Thirty years ago dementia was less understood and assumed to be a normal part of aging. A condition that affects the memory, dementia can also affect sight, hearing, balance, walking, visual and spatial understanding, navigation and tonal differentiation, and can cause hallucinations.

Today, dementia affects approximately 50 million people worldwide and is predicted to double in 20 years due to an aging population and an increase in awareness and diagnosis. Dementia has become a global issue.