Memory in Art: Dementia Program
After an on-site assessment of the Ball State Museum (DOMA) identifying potential barriers for visitors with disabilities, Memory in Art was created. It is a monthly program designed for people with dementia and their caretakers to visit without having the normal obstacles and stress. A brochure, signage, and wayfinding were created and designed for this project.
Dementia is more than physical pain; it is also mental pain. The program creates a safe space for people with dementia to be able to gain back a sense of connectivity within themselves. We want them to feel respected as people with dignity.
Aided icons used throughout the museum such as the can and do not touch have similar elements with line and color to provide less confusion and aid recognition.
Throughout the deliverables, the design followed DOMA guidelines because the monthly program coincides with the museum. The details such as color, are directly taken from the guidelines. Outside of the guidelines: certain elements and formatting were designed for people with dementia.
Colors and typography were kept to a minimum to avoid confusion throughout the deliverables. The only color used was red from the guidelines. The color was used to highlight the pertinent information on the deliverables and accent color. Avoiding colors such as blue, green, and purple were not used due to the washed-out appearance they take with people who have vision decline, which often occurs with people with dementia. This also went into the imagery because too much color would be overwhelming. So keeping it black and white was essential to lessen the eyesore of all of the colors while giving the red importance.
The typography used a single sans-serif typeface, Acumin Variable Concept, with different fonts to keep the deliverables clean and legible. The single typeface was used to create less confusion while reading the copy. The headlines and program titles use a larger font size for high contrast and importance.
