A dementia-friendly environment is any space that has been thoughtfully created to make life easier for people with dementia. Simple adaptations around the home can have a huge impact on the lives of people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
As these conditions progress, people who suffer from them will find it increasingly difficult to live at home.
To extend the time that people living with dementia can stay in their homes, this article is stacked with invaluable and easy-to-do ideas for making an environment dementia-friendly.
By making everyday tasks more accessible, these handy tips will allow elderly people to live independently.
This can be achieved by minimizing the circumstances that they might find frustrating and agitating. Two areas of the home where independence is invaluable are the kitchen and bathroom, so let’s start there.
What Are Some Ideas For A Dementia-Friendly Bathroom?
Something that everybody can relate to is enjoying independence in the bathroom. Unfortunately, standard bathrooms are plagued with hazards that make life difficult for people with dementia.
By implementing some of the ideas below, a bathroom can suddenly turn from being a hazardous space into a dementia-friendly one.
- Raised toilet seat: One idea that has been adopted in the homes of many elderly people is a raised toilet seat. A raised toilet seat gives dementia sufferers the ability to sit and stand independently without the need for aid. If your friend or family member struggles physically then fitting arms to the raised toilet seat will give them the support that they so desperately need.
- Contrasted toilet seat: White toilet seats are a little too good at blending into their surroundings. Sure, this might be desirable from a design point of view, but it is a real nuisance for dementia sufferers. Replacing their white toilet seat with a contrasting color like blue, red, or green will allow them to locate and make better sense of the toilet.
- Target aids: This is a dementia-friendly idea that relates to men specifically. Even without dementia, men can have a hard time keeping the toilet area clean. Men with dementia can have an even harder time keeping their aim on the target. Fitting a high-visibility target to the inside of the bowl will allow them to clearly identify where it is they should be aiming for.
What Are Some Ideas For A Dementia-Friendly Kitchen?
Now that you’ve considered the ways to make a bathroom environment dementia-friendly, let’s take a look at the kitchen. The kitchen is another major area of concern as it is filled with all sorts of precarious items and pieces of equipment.
On top of that, the excessive amount of cupboards and drawers can be super confusing for dementia sufferers as they try to remember where every kitchen item is kept.
The most useful thing that you can do for someone with dementia is de-clutter the kitchen so it has the bare essentials and nothing else. This is how to do it.
- Keep surfaces clear: Messy surfaces are an easy way for dementia sufferers to get confused as the clutter is right there in front of them. By clearing the surfaces of unnecessary appliances and items their kitchen will be much easier to make sense of. Everyday appliances like the toaster and kettle should be placed front and center for easy access.
- Signage: Like it’s a little surprise, but signs are one of the best ways to make a kitchen dementia-friendly. Dementia sufferers regularly go through every single cupboard and drawer looking for something as simple as a chopping board or the grater. Printed signs that have a cupboard or drawer’s contents clearly labeled on them take the guesswork out of the equation. One tip is to make sure they are legible, presentable, and stuck to the outside of a drawer using premium tape.
- Hide items: Hiding items is a great way of simplifying a dementia sufferer’s life. Maybe it is a certain utensil that they have been obsessing over unnecessarily. Maybe they have been going on a daily over-the-top cleaning spree and you have no choice but to hide the cleaning products. Whatever it may be, the age-old saying “out of sight out of mind” works wonders for dementia sufferers.
- Adapt items: Adapted utensils, cutlery, dishware, and drinkware are all priceless items for people who suffer with. As the condition worsens, normal, everyday utensils can be a real struggle to use. Adapted items give elderly people a chance of retaining their independence in the kitchen. They can also help them to enjoy cooking again which is an incredibly stimulating and rewarding daily task.
What Are Some Ideas For A Dementia-Friendly Home?
Using what you have learned about creating a dementia-friendly environment in the bathroom and kitchen, it’s now time to consider the overall home.
Removing unnecessary clutter from the surfaces of every room is a great first step. Contrasting colors is another dementia-friendly idea that helps to ensure the entire home feels less daunting and seems less confusing.
- Leave doors open: Internal doors can be a real nuisance for elderly people and especially people who suffer from dementia. Making sure they are always kept open, or better yet, removed entirely helps to ensure that your elderly friend or family member won’t be locked out of their own bedroom.
- Add photos: Photos around the home are perfect for evoking memories of the past. Even if your elderly friend or family member has a few photos dotted about, a few more could never hurt.
Conclusion
As is evidenced by this article, making an environment dementia-friendly doesn’t have to involve long and costly renovations.
It can be the little everyday things that add up to make a huge difference to the overall quality of a dementia sufferer’s life. We hope this article has given you some useful tips that make home life accessible for everyone.
