The recent World Alzheimer’s Report, Design, Dignity, Dementia: dementia-related design and the build environment, describes numerous ways designers, architects, and planners can build a dementia-friendly home or living space.
While the 500-page material might be a bit daunting for the average reader, it’s impressive in content and detail. Those with the time and interest to read through all the research, case studies, and innovations will likely come away with a new perspective on how impactful spaces and their designs can be on improving the lives of people with dementia.
But the report, which focused on public spaces and residential care facilities, also left me wondering. How can we apply these concepts to create a dementia-friendly home for people living with the disease and their caregivers?
Most people don’t have the resources to remodel and rebuild their home to make it ideal for someone with dementia. However, there are some tangible opportunities that many of us can apply to our homes that will improve the happiness and stability of our loved ones.
Here are a few takeaways which I believe will be valuable to those caring for people with dementia at home:
Make changes to your home’s layout and aesthetics early and proactively.
It’s better to make changes when someone is in early-stage dementia and can easily respond to changes in their environment. This allows them to already be familiar and comfortable in the dementia-friendly space and layout when they reach the later stages of the disease.
Décor, light, and colors that positively impact mood should take precedence over personal preferences.
OK, I’ll admit I’m pretty boring. Greys, browns, and conservative décor are for me. But us boring sorts simply must think differently when we consider creating a dementia-friendly home environment.
The lighting, colors, look, and feel are crucial in keeping our loved ones in a great mood, and help keep them from falling off the emotional rails. Consider bright colors and ways to increase the use of both natural and electric light. Your loved ones will also benefit from having the kind of furniture and decor they are familiar with.
A dementia-friendly home layout should allow levels of stimulation to change as needed over time.
Different stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia will call for different levels of stimulation. For example, someone in the early stages would want the windows open to allow sounds from the street inside. At the same time, they might want to listen to music alongside a TV loudly playing the news.
However, when they reach later stages, they might need the curtains pulled down with the air conditioning on. They might also want the music turned down, and a peaceful video playing on the side. Or, they might want just a quiet space with the open window letting fresh air inside.
Either way, the space should allow even the most social individuals with dementia to be shielded from overstimulation. It should also allow them to be alone and separated from children and other family members, if need be.
A dementia-friendly home should encourage movement.
Leaving pathways clear, and allocating space that encourages physical activity will be beneficial for your loved one. This will also give them opportunities to interact, and find positive sources of stimulation.
It may be tempting to move the TV and recliner and some tray-tables into the master bedroom right by the master bath. However, but physical activity is critical to functioning, mood, and overall quality of life.
Creating a dementia-friendly home can go a long way in improving your loved one’s quality of life and maintaining your peace of mind. What do you think of these takeaways, and do you have other tips you might want to share? I’d love to hear them in the comments!