Rethinking Aged Care with eBooks on Placemaking & Community Consultations.
Steve Jobs said “learn continually – there is always ‘one more thing’ to learn.” At de Fiddes learning and expanding our skillset is a prerequisite to creating great work. Gathering information from a wide variety of places informs our practice and the result is environments which are research driven, highly considered and fit for purpose. We recently read through David Engwicht’s eBooks and found some great information and ways of thinking that is relevant to aged care and can help decision makers find the confidence to take action. With topics such as, ‘the planning of public spaces’, ‘alternatives to community consultations’ and ‘ways to think outside the box’, we are sure there is something for everyone.
Notes from the Ebook ‘Place’
David asked people to think of the qualities of a house where, the moment you walk through the door, you instantly feel at home.
The responses were:
• A welcoming smile.
• The house is not over-ordered.
• There are big comfortable chairs that welcome you to relax.
• The smell of food baking or coffee brewing.
• Music.
These responses are so pertinent for the entry lobby at aged care facilities. Being a warm, welcoming and inviting place is so crucial. Staff that are attentive and friendly, the environment not clinical and cold. Places to sit and rest, and an ambiance that stimulates the senses.
From the Ebook ‘Why most people can’t think outside the box’
What is creative thinking? Why for some people it is second nature and for others it is impossible to ‘think outside the box.’ Can this be taught?
David argues that there is something deeply dysfunctional in our decision making and that people suffer from a flawed thinking process. The book explores how we can escape this mind-set to make more productive and better decisions.
From the Ebook, ‘Five reasons community consultation should be banned.’
Don’t let the name fool you, this is a short book looking at the flaws in community consultations and their alternatives. Anyone who has been to a council meeting, on a committee or in charge of a large project would be able to look at the below discussion points and know the issues without needing to read further!
- Community consultation is “democracy at work”
- The community knows best what it needs
- More talk delivers better outcomes
- The community should be treated as “customers”
- You can consult the community without having first secured an implementation budget.
There are more great Ebooks from David which you can download here.