Making your home Dementia-friendly

The way your home is designed and laid out can have a big impact on a loved one with dementia. Symptoms of memory loss, confusion and difficulty learning new things means that a loved one with dementia may forget where they are, where things are and how things work.
To help your loved one with dementia maintain their independence and to support them to have a good quality of life, it’s important to make their home as easy to manage as possible.

10 ways to make your home dementia-friendly

1. Prioritise good lighting

Check that natural light can get into the house. Good lighting helps you or your loved one see clearly and understand their surroundings. Make sure there’s nothing blocking light from coming in through the window. Furthermore, make sure the bedroom is dark enough at night, as this will help promote better sleep.

2. Make sure your flooring is safe

Remove anything that could make you trip or fall such as carpets or mats. Furthermore, watch out for other trip hazards like cables. Make sure you can see the flooring too – plain matte flooring is best. Avoid having flooring that’s shiny or that’s a similar colour to the walls, as it can cause confusion.

3. Make eating and drinking easier

Proper nutrition is important for your health. Use plates, cups and tablecloths with colours that contrasts with food. Try using clear plastic or glass containers to store your food, so you can see what is inside the container.

4. Get the furniture you can see clearly

Dementia may affect how well you can tell the difference between colours. Use bright and contrasting colours to help you see furniture better. Avoid stripes and strong patterns as they can be confusing.

5. Label and organise your things

If you have memory problems you may forget where things are kept. Put pictures or signs on cupboards and drawers so you know what’s inside them. Try to keep frequently used items like your keys, wallet and mobile phone in the same place.

6. Keep things simple in the bathroom

Put a picture and sign on the door labelling the toilet or bathroom. Consider removing the toilet lid if it makes it easier to identify. It is also helpful to have towels and toilet rolls with colours that contrast the walls. Clear away items not used regularly.

7. Maintain a clutter-free environment

Untidiness around the home may make you feel confused and distracted. Get rid of any excess clutter and make sure cupboards and drawers are tidy. Turn off the TV or radio when you’re not watching or listening to them, so the noise isn’t confusing or distracting.

8. Use equipment to keep yourself safe

Use grab rails to hold onto and prevent yourself from falling. Installing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors can also help keep you safe. Sensors can help too. For example, they can detect whether the water has been left running or the temperature is too high or low.

9. Keep active and engaged

Keeping up with the things you enjoy is great for your quality of life. Use a large-faced clock and a calendar to help you keep track of the day and time, and the different things you’re doing. Some people find a whiteboard helpful for writing down reminders.

10. Get outside

Take opportunities to get outdoors – it’s good for your well-being. Check that the front door is easy to tell apart from the others in the road or block. If you’ve got a garden, make sure there’s somewhere you can sit and rest when you need to.

How can Cavendish Homecare help?

At Cavendish Homecare we can help support you and your loved ones with our expertise in delivering dementia care at home. We know that being diagnosed with Dementia can have a huge emotional, social, and psychological effect on both the person suffering and their family. Therefore we ensure specialist care in the comfort of one’s own home.

Please call our Homecare team on 0203 008 5210 or email us info@cavendishhomecare.com to see how we can assist you.