A soundscape study: What kinds of sounds can elderly people affected by dementia recollect?

In this study, the kinds of sounds recollected by elderly people with dementia were investigated as a first step towards improving their sound environment. Onomatopoeias were presented to elderly people as keys to recollecting sounds, and they told what they imagined from each onomatopoeia. The resu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Noise & health 2004-07, Vol.6 (24), p.63-73
Main Authors: Nagahata, K, Fukushima, T, Ishibashi, N, Takahashi, Y, Moriyama, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Behavior
Classification
Dementia - physiopathology
Dementia - psychology
Dementia disorders
Female
Humans
Male
Mental Recall
Older people
Poetry as Topic
Sound
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:In this study, the kinds of sounds recollected by elderly people with dementia were investigated as a first step towards improving their sound environment. Onomatopoeias were presented to elderly people as keys to recollecting sounds, and they told what they imagined from each onomatopoeia. The results are summarized as follows. (1) Generally speaking, sounds from nature, such as the songs of birds and the sound of rain were recollected easily from onomatopoeias, regardless of gender. (2) Sounds of kitchen work were recollected by women only. (3) Sounds from old routines were recollected clearly. (4) Sounds that elicited feelings of nostalgia were also recollected intensely from onomatopoeias. These results show that elderly people suffering from dementia are able to recollect the sounds that had once occupied very important parts of their lives. However, these sounds in themselves are not unusual sounds in their daily lives. This suggests the importance of soundscape design in daily life.
ISSN:1463-1741
1998-4030