Looking at previous dissertations for ideas...

I prefer making notes in a notebook when I am researching rather than typing it straight up onto here; it's more flexible (for example allows me to research on the train/bus as my laptop is big and unreliable) and personally I find it quicker to write than type. I also find it easier to read off of paper than screen, so it's easier this way for when I will be reading it all back. For these reasons I will do my written research blog posts as scans of my notebook, summarising the most important points and findings at the end. 

As I was feeling a bit stumped about how to start, I went to the library to find some dissertations that may have been on a similar topic to get some good ideas of what the dissertation even looks like and potentially good texts. I am happy for my current vague idea to take a different path and change if thats what it takes to be a more refined topic, so looking at other previous projects could (and has been so far) be massively helpful. 

Summary and ideas:

• Can the look and design of an institution affect how people feel and change their emotional responses on a day to day basis? Is this particularly important in care homes, especially in dementia wards, as people can become frustrated and anxious due to not fully understanding where they are and why they are there? Can the colours/lighting they are exposed to have an extra effect on this (for example if it feels especially clinical and they do not remember they have dementia, and wonder why they are in a hospital and not at home)?

• Can other factors, such as sounds and smells, have an added effect? What is assumed to induce the sense of homeliness and comfort and is this taken into consideration?

• Are there certain colours/smells/sounds that could be used to calm down the majority of potentially anxious dementia sufferers in wards? 

• Is it important to invest in the design of wards for the residents health and wellbeing? How many institutions regard this as something important? How many institutions have the budget to be able to do this, and how many would like to be able to?