Dementia on the move: Preliminary results based on a participative qualitative research project focusing on the daily mobility patterns of people with dementia

Around 130,000 people with dementia are currently living in Austria. Most of them continue living at home as long as possible after being diagnosed. People with dementia and their relatives undergo a progressive process of withdrawing from various social activities, which is accompanied by a reduction of their mobility in public space. However, mobility is a major factor that influences the degree of social participation of people with dementia. Up to now, knowledge on how people with dementia experience accessibility in public spaces within metropolitan areas of Austria has been very limited. Based on a qualitative case study approach, this research project carried out narrative interviews with people with dementia, assembled focus groups with relatives and associates, and used participant observations i.e. organised walks undertaken by the researchers as well as usability studies of transport information systems together with people with dementia. These studies were then analysed in-depth and compared to the daily mobility patters in public spaces of people with dementia living in Vienna.