The ‘Building Healthy Environments for Future Users’ project aims to design solutions fit to ageing in place and independent living.
Research activities are done in the built environment (both indoors and outdoors) with the purpose to sustain and facilitate public health and well-being while supporting individual citizens in their ambition to have a high quality of life.
The aim of the Health in the Built Environment community is to develop innovative, multidisciplinary projects to submit for funding and to exchange information. We promote our expertise to support policymakers and citizens in creating healthier surroundings that promote an active lifestyle and enhance well-being.
The building environment can support people with dementia to age-in-place. To design solutions fit to ageing in place and independent living. People with dementia can be actively involved via several methods that are fit for their cognitive functionality.
Solutions to adapting to the environment of people with dementia should be aligned with their coping strategies for ageing-in-place.
Instructions or examples of how to adjust dwellings on the internet should be shown in such a way that the information can be printed. This allows reading by the family carer.
Researcher

Helianthe Kort
Publications
https://research.tue.nl/nl/publications/bouwen-voor-zorg-en-gezondheid
Kort, H. S. M., Steunenberg, B., & van Hoof, J. (2019). Methods for involving people living with dementia and their informal carers as co-developers of technological solutions. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 47(3), 149-156. https://doi.org/10.1159/000497802
Kort, H. S. M., & Hoof, van, J. (2014). Design of a website for home modifications for older persons with dementia. Technology and Disability, 26(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3233/TAD-140399
Hoof, van, J., Kort, H. S. M., Hensen, J. L. M., Duijnstee, M. S. H., & Rutten, P. G. S. (2010). Thermal comfort and the integrated design of homes for older people with dementia. Building and Environment, 45(2), 358-370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2009.06.013
Hoof, van, J., Kort, H. S. M., Waarde, van, H., & Blom, M. M. (2010). Environmental interventions and the design of homes for older adults with dementia : an overview. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 25(3), 202-232. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317509358885
Hoof, van, J., Kort, H. S. M., Duijnstee, M. S. H., Rutten, P. G. S., & Hensen, J. L. M. (2010). The indoor environment and the integrated building design of homes for older people with dementia. Building and Environment, 45(5), 1244-1261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2009.11.008
Hoof, van, J., & Kort, H. S. M. (2009). Supportive living environments: a first concept of a dwelling designed for older adults with dementia. Dementia : The International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 8(2), 293-316. https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301209103276
Hoof, van, J., Kort, H. S. M., & Waarde, van, H. (2009). Housing and care for older adults with dementia : a European perspective. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 24(3), 369-390. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10901-009-9143-3
Kort, H. S. M. (2011). Website for people with dementia. In Trend book : Dutch design Week Eindhoven 2009 Dutch Design Platform.
Aarts, M. P. J., Huisman, E. R. C. M., Mattheus, B., & Kort, H. S. M. (2014). Studying health effects of light on elderly people with dementia, methodology considerations. In Proceedings of the 26th Annual Meeting of the Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms (SLTBR), June 27-29 2014, Vienna, Austria
Hoof, van, J., Kort, H. S. M., Hensen, J. L. M., Duijnstee, M. S. H., & Rutten, P. G. S. (2009). Thermal comfort and HVAC design for people with dementia. In S. Santanam, E. A. Bogucz, J. S. Zhang, & H. E. Khalifa (Eds.), Proceedings of the 9th International Healthy Buildings Conference and Exhibition (Healthy Buildings 2009), 13-17 September 2009, Syracuse, USA (pp. 4). [Paper 291]
Hoof, van, J., Kort, H. S. M., Duijnstee, M. S. H., Schoutens, A. M. C., Hensen, J. L. M., & Begemann, S. H. A. (2008). The indoor environment in relation to people with dementia. In P. Strøm-Tejsen (Ed.), Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate (pp. 8-). Indoor Air.
van Hoof, J., Kort, H. S. M., & Hensen, J. L. M. (2008). Thermal comfort and HVAC design for people with dementia. In Proceedings of the IFA’s 9th Global Conference on Ageing ‘Shaping Tomorrow Today’, 4-7 September 2008, Montreal, Canada (pp. 1-18)
Hoof, van, J., & Kort, H. S. M. (2008). Designing a supportive living environment for older people with dementia. In Proceedings of the IFA’s 9th Global Conference on Ageing ‘Shaping Tomorrow Today’, 4-7 September 2008, Montreal, Canada
Hoof, van, J., & Kort, H. S. M. (2006). Healthy living environment for older adults with dementia. In E. Oliveira, de, M. Gameiro da Silva, & J. Rosado Pinto (Eds.), Proceedings of the 8th International Conference Healthy Buildings (HB 2006), 4-8 june 2006, Lisbon, Portugal (Vol. 2, pp. 89-93)
Hoof, van, J., Kort, H. S. M., Duijnstee, M. S. H., Hensen, J. L. M., & Rutten, P. G. S. (2011). Installaties in verpleeghuizen : houd rekening met bewoners met dementie. VVplus, 68(3), 140-143.
Kort, H. S. M., Hoof, van, J., Bronsveld, A., & Blom, M. M. (2010). Digital consultancy tool for ageing-in-place with dementia. Gerontechnology, 9(2), 298-298. https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2010.09.02.208.00
Hoof, van, J., & Kort, H. S. M. (2008). Het nut en de valkuilen van domotica bij dementerenden. ICTzorg : hét ICT-vakblad voor professionals in de zorg, 9(7), 6-7.
Hoof, van, J., & Kort, H. S. M. (2007). Een veilige haven : aangepast wonen voor mensen met dementie. Denkbeeld, 19(1), 22-25.
Hoof, van, J., & Kort, H. S. M. (2006). Ondersteunende woonomgevingen voor ouderen met dementie. Tijdschrift voor Gerontologie en Geriatrie, 37(4), 26-26.