Unsafe exits from dementia care units present problems for residents and pose ethical dilemmas for caregivers. The purpose of this experimental research was to determine whether visual barriers reduced the exiting behavior of residents in a long-term care facility. A visual barrier was defined as one that appeared to be an obstruction, but that did not impede egress through the door. The study was conducted in a 30-bed dementia care unit and was limited to the emergency exit door where an alarm sounded each time the panic bar was touched. An “exit" was defined as a resident touching the panic bar and sounding the alarm. The sample consisted of 3 females and 6 males who attempted to exit the unit at least once during baseline condition. All residents were diagnosed with some form of dementia. The tests were conducted under three visual barriers and one baseline condition. Each condition was observed for seven days from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The schedule was as follows: Baseline Condition: No experimental manipulation was used. This observation provided a comparison for the three test conditions. Test Condition 1: Mini-blinds that covered the glazing of the door. Test Condition 2: Cloth panel that covered the panic bar of the door. Test Condition 3: Both the mini blind and the cloth panel. During baseline collection, 9 residents triggered the alarm for a total of 120 attempted exits. Test condition 1 decreased exiting to 73 attempts. During test condition 2, 5 attempted exits occurred, and 18 attempted exits occurred during test condition 3. Statistical analysis included Friedman’s Rank test for correlated samples and Wilcoxon Sign Rank tests for treatment versus control comparisons. Test conditions 2 and 3 significantly reduced attempted exits while test condition 1 was not statistically significant. In conclusion, visual barriers were a safe and effective method for deterring resident exiting for this particular nursing home. / Master of Science

Recent experiences in environmental design have suggested the importance of understanding the wants and needs of users of various settings. Designers of large-scale environments find it necessary to turn to others professionals for guidance in designing more responsive settings for daily living. Existing misfits between behavioral needs of the elderly and the community spaces in planned residential environments are explored. It was found that the designer often worked with inadequate and sometimes misleading information while confronted with tasks which demanded deeper understanding of human behavior and desires. The central issue of this thesis is focused on the questions: how can we bridge the communication gap between researchers and designers? And, how can the information, which were presented by behavioral researchers, be best translated into formats useful to designers? As an illustration, the thesis concludes with the descriptions of the guidelines for twenty-two activity areas deemed essential in the design of community spaces in elderly housing. In these guidelines, spatial relationships, environmental qualities, and furnishings and equipment for each are suggested. / M. Arch.

The purpose of the study is to set forth a framework for the research of spatio-environmental factors on the experience of time duration. A literature survey considers the nature of the experience of time as well as the research that has been carried out on different factors in the experience of time duration. The survey also considers different categories of the spatio-environmental realm and how the realm is experienced through the sensory system. Particular attention is directed in the primary hypothesis toward the possible influence of the spatio-environmental factor of complexity, especially visual complexity. Exploratory testing of complexity used 24 college students performing duration estimates with the Production method viewing scale models of different complexity of wall surface and pattern. A secondary aspect of the study is to find support for the possible application of the primary hypothesis to the field of architecture. One undesirable experience of time duration, boredom, is studied in greater detail. Literature support is found for the relationship between boredom and decreased sense input, with decreased perceived visual complexity an example of decreased sense input. The susceptibility of the elderly to decreased sense input is considered, pointing to a possible increased susceptibility of the elderly to certain types of boredom. The scale model testing was modified with a glass screen to simulate decreased visual input, and the relationship between decreased visual input and duration estimation was analyzed for support of the secondary hypothesis. Tests for both hypotheses failed to provide confirmation but offer helpful guidance for future tests. / M. Arch.

The purpose of the study was to determine how historic organizations in Virginia have responded to the issue of handicapped accessibility at their properties. The study sought to determine which historic sites are accessible to the mobility impaired, what handicapped accessible features exist in the sites' buildings and what adaptations have been made to programs and activities taking place at the sites. The study also involved exploring reasons why some historic organizations have not made their buildings and programs accessible to the disabled and determining what future plans the historic organizations have for making their sites accessible to all people. Questionnaires were sent to 228 historic sites in Virginia; 147 of the returned surveys met the research criteria. Even though most sites had at least one handicapped accessible feature, only 40 sites were reported to be accessible to everyone. Video-tours, slides and large photographs are made available to visitors who cannot participate in the entire tour at some of the historic sites. The main reasons historic organizations have not made their sites more accessible are that alterations are too expensive and structurally difficult. Forty-eight historic organizations plan to make their properties more accessible in the future. A directory, containing a table of accessible features found at the sites, general tourist information and a description of programs available at the sites for the disabled, was compiled from the findings of this study. / Master of Science

Yip Kin Sun. / "Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 1999-2000, design report." / Includes bibliographical references. / Chapter 1.0 --- Statement / Chapter 1.1 --- Personal Statement --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Mission Statement --- p.3 / Chapter 2.0 --- Methodology --- p.3 / Chapter 3.0 --- Existing State / Chapter 3.1 --- Mental hitstory of Hong Kong 1841-2000+ --- p.4-6 / Chapter 3.2 --- Trace of rehabilitation in community-base --- p.7 / Chapter 3.3 --- Deinstitutionalization --- p.8 / Chapter 4.0 --- Solid-base in community: / Chapter 4.0 --- Hin Keng House --- p.9-10 / Tuen Mun Long Stay Care Home --- p.11-12 / Jockey Club Farm House --- p.13 / New Life Farm --- p.14 / Kwun Tong Amity Centre --- p.15-16 / "Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Kwai Chung Hospital" --- p.17-18 / Chapter 5.0 --- Define the problems & arguments --- p.19 / Chapter 6.0 --- End Users' life routine --- p.20 / Chapter 7.0 --- Subject body Attributes --- p.21-23 / Chapter 7.1 --- Definition of subject body / Chapter 7.2 --- Subject users / Chapter 7.3 --- Subject location / Chapter 7.4 --- Subject size / Chapter 7.5 --- Subject appearance / Chapter 7.6 --- "Subject impact to ""community""" / Chapter 8.0 --- Site Selection Criteria --- p.24 / Chapter 8.1 --- Possible bases： / "Tai Wai, Chik Fai Street" / Lung Hang Estate unused area within the estate / Pok Hong Estate an unused area east of Shan Ha Wai (Tsang Tai UK) --- p.25-27 / Chapter 9.0 --- "Site analysis (Tai Wai, Chik Fai Street)" --- p.28 / Chapter 10.0 --- Programs / Chapter 10.1 --- Subject body --- p.28 / Chapter 10.2 --- Design consideration --- p.29-34 / Chapter 10.3 --- Schedule of Accommodation --- p.35-36 / Chapter 11.0 --- Design Approach / Chapter 11.1 --- Design Concept --- p.37 / Chapter 11.11 --- Design Concept of Mid-way home --- p.38-39 / Chapter 11.12 --- Design Concept of Activity Center --- p.39-40 / Chapter 12.0 --- Compliance with Building Planning Regulation --- p.40-44 / Chapter 13.0 --- Building Services --- p.44 / Chapter 14.0 --- Review comments and self-epilogue --- p.45 / Chapter Appendix --- Workshop questionnaire / Bibliography

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Context Free Design Grammar (CFDG) is a programming language for defining recursive structures that can be used to create art. I use CFDG as a design space for genetic programming, experimenting with various options for crossover, mutation, and fitness. In this exploratory work, multiple generations are manually assessed to determine the usefulness of the mutation strategies and fitness functions. I find that simple value mutation and fitness that alters general program structure is not enough to produce an increase of interesting images in CFDG. I discuss these findings as well as future avenues of inquiry for genetic programming in artistic domains.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Management, University of Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the Degree of Masters of Management (in Public and Management Development) February 2017 / Accessibility in the built environment has always created barriers for persons with disabilities. Accessibility in public buildings is a key factor for persons with disabilities in achieving livelihoods and independence. However, inaccessible public buildings limits the rights of persons with disabilities to equal participation and prevents them from being equal citizens. Persons with disabilities are often faced with barriers that limit them from actively participating in social and economic life. Many of these barriers are related to accessibility in the built environment. This research report looked into the Department of Public Works’ Accessibility Programme. The accessibility programme intends to make all state-owned buildings accessible for persons with disabilities. The participants of the study were mostly implementers of the accessibility programme and participants from organisations of persons with disabilities. Most of the participants acknowledged the work the Department of Public Works has done. However, they also noted shortcomings in implementing the accessibility programme. The lack of knowledge on disability issues and understanding on how to address accessibility in the built environment was a contributing factor to the ineffective and efficient accessibility programme. The recommendations of the study include inclusive disability programmes in the built environment in the planning, policy development, designing and completion stages. Education and advocacy are highly recommended at all stages of the implementation of the accessibility programme. / MT2017