Designing For Dementia: How To Create The Perfect Space

If you are living with dementia, living in your own home may help you to feel safer and more comfortable, particularly if you receive regular home care visits from professional carers. 

When it comes to managing dementia while living in your own home, it is important to take the time to think about how your home is designed. 

By taking the time to redesign your home in a way that makes managing living with dementia easier, you can improve your quality of life. 

What should dementia-friendly spaces incorporate?

Safety should be kept in mind…

A home that is dementia-friend should incorporate a number of specific features; the use of good lighting and safe flooring, for instance, can impact how safe a property is for someone who is living with dementia.  

It’s vital to ensure that plenty of natural light can enter your home - good lighting makes it easier to see clearly and make sense of where you are. At night, it is important to make sure that your bedroom is dark enough to get a good enough night’s sleep. 

Remove anything that could cause you to trip and fall from your floor. Rugs and mats can be a safety hazard, so it’s important to remove them. It’s also important to keep an eye out for any other safety hazards, such as trailing cables. 

Why are colours important?

Dementia may impact how well you can differentiate between different colours, so using bright and contrasting colours can help to reduce feelings of confusion and uncertainty. It’s best to avoid stripes, spots or busy patterns as these can cause confusions to occur. 

Avoid having flooring or furniture that is a similar colour to the walls, as this may also cause confusion. 

Incorporate signage

If you find that your dementia is causing you to become forgetful, then you may start to forget where important things are stored. Using signs stuck onto cupboards and around your home can help to limit confusion. 

It is also a good idea to try and keep certain items, such as your keys, wallet and mobile phone stored in the same place. 

Remove all clutter

Having mess scattered around your home may make you feel more confused, so it’s essential to ensure that your home remains neat and organised. Aim to get rid of any excess clutter and ensure that cupboards and drawers remain tidy. 

Incorporate clear storage 

Dementia can cause confusion and can make it hard to know where certain items are kept. However, by installing clear storage spaces, such as clear storage boxes and cupboards, you can reduce feelings of confusion and stress.