A team of Portuguese researchers is working to help people with dementia access relevant information through a practical guide developed as part of the research project DECOHDE — Design for Humanized Communication in Dementia, an initiative involving the RISE-Health Research Unit.

This initiative, which has now released a guide for designers and information producers with recommendations for designing information intended for people with dementia, included the participation of Oscar Ribeiro (RISE-Health@RISE/UA) and Soraia Teles (RISE-Health@RISE/FMUP), researchers from the RISE-Health Research Unit.

“DECOHDE is important because it addresses a very clear gap: although information on dementia exists, much of it is not designed for the people living with the condition themselves,” note the RISE-Health experts, adding that “the DECOHDE project sought precisely to investigate more appropriate, accessible, and meaningful ways to communicate information to people with dementia.”

The study now available highlights the development of content with a design tailored to people with dementia, which “will facilitate […] access for people living with dementia to information that is important to them,” emphasise researchers from the country’s largest research unit.

Regarding language, “the use of terms with negative connotations or a focus solely on a person’s limitations can reinforce the stigma surrounding dementia. Therefore, it is essential to use person-centred language that recognises that dementia does not define who someone is,” emphasises Soraia Teles.

According to the experts, there are 14 principles, including simplicity, clarity, and readability, that guide designers, communication professionals, and other information producers for people with dementia in the production of information.

“It is advisable to adopt a flexible approach to information design that allows for user control: for example, offering information in different formats—text, audio, images—with varying levels of detail and customisation options. Using familiar usage patterns and concepts, as well as ensuring visual and behavioural consistency in the system, enables more intuitive, predictable, and stable experiences, assisting users without compromising their autonomy and contributing to confidence in using the system.

Led by researcher Rita Maldonado Branco of the Institute for Research in Design, Media, and Culture (ID+), and with the participation of the Center for Research in Digital Media and Interaction (DigiMedia), the DECOHDE — Design for Humanized Communication in Dementia is the result of work carried out by a group of Portuguese researchers at the University of Aveiro, one of the management centers of the RISE-Health Research Unit.

The initiative was funded by national funds through the FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., under project 2022.03295.PTDC.