Creating dementia-friendly environments in the context of person-environment fit and recommendations to local governments

The main aim of the study is to examine the physical accessibility of housing, to determine structural features and causes of the limiting older adults in their homes for individual's living in the center of Muratpaşa district and to contribute to create a road map in the process of creating Dementia Friendly Environment for local governments (municipalities) and citizens. Within this objective, secondary data analysis has been performed by using micro data of the research titled "Establishing Age Friendly Environments and Services in a Rapidly Aging Society" to address the person-environment fit model for testing the empirical model. Based on the secondary data analysis, risk assessments of each component of houses were analysed. According to the population densities of the neighborhoods, risk mapping was conducted on the accessibility of houses in the context of dementiafriendly environment. In the context of the person-environment fit model, the relationship between the risk of environment and characteristics of person's household structures and dementia risk situations was examined. With analyzes, it has been determined that the residential areas within the city center contain risks as a result of dementia-friendly environmental assessment. In Turkey, when the concept of aging in place discussing in the socio-political level, usually ignored conditions of the older adults. Especially for dementia that is not only effect the individual but also the household and society, it is necessary to ensure accessibility of the houses where individuals face the first obstacle in order to be able to offer aging in place. The infrastructure of urban areas should be improved and access to key services should be facilitated based on the principles of inclusive design. Key words: dementia friendly environment, aging in place, urbanization, accessibility of house, environmental gerontology, person-environment fit model.