A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of Visual Cues, Signage, and Spaced Retrieval for Wayfinding Within Long-Term...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Environmental Psychology
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Long-term care communities (LTCCs) present significant wayfinding challenges for residents due to environmental complexity and cognitive impairments.
• Effective wayfinding is crucial for resident autonomy and quality of life in these settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of environmental cues (signage and art) and a memory strategy (spaced retrieval) on wayfinding ability in LTCCs.
• To assess the influence of these interventions on residents' self-reported life-space.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 15 LTCCs, with arms for control, cues only, and cues plus spaced retrieval (SR).
• Wayfinding speed and accuracy were measured across simple, moderate, and complex routes over 12 months.
• Longitudinal mixed-effects models analyzed repeated measures of wayfinding and life-space outcomes.

Main Results:

• Distinctive cues significantly improved wayfinding speed on simple routes compared to control.
• Both cue conditions (with and without SR) reduced wayfinding errors compared to control.
• The cues plus SR condition showed significantly fewer errors than the cues-only condition.

Conclusions:

• Age-friendly signs and art cues enhance wayfinding effectiveness for LTCC residents.
• Integrating spaced retrieval further minimizes navigation errors, supporting resident independence.