How To Design A Dementia-Friendly Bedroom?

Studies have shown that 80 percent of people living in residential care homes in the UK are dementia sufferers. This means that when it comes to the design of spaces within care homes, dementia and the side effects, have to be taken into account.

In the UK there are 850,000 people living with dementia, and that number is constantly rising. It’s predicted that by 2025 there will be over one million people living with dementia in the UK. There are many different types of dementia, each of which affects sufferers in different ways. However, from Alzheimer's Disease to Pick’s disease, dementia sufferers tend to share many similar symptoms. 

The most common symptom of dementia is memory loss, however, it’s far from the only one. Things like problems with communication, issues with understanding what’s going on around them, and trouble with orientation, are all common symptoms of a range of dementia-related conditions.

Although there’s no cure for dementia, there are ways that life can be made easier for dementia sufferers. For instance, a lot of care homes take into account the common symptoms of dementia and design bedrooms for residents that make life a little easier for dementia sufferers.

A dementia-friendly bedroom is one that’s been designed to help reduce the barriers that make daily life for dementia sufferers a struggle. Helping to keep them safe and giving them the independence that they crave.

Many dementia sufferers have short-term memory problems, meaning that they can’t remember what they’ve placed inside their drawers and wardrobes. This can cause them to become agitated and upset, constantly opening things to see what’s in there. To reduce this behaviour, opting to incorporate an open wardrobe (or partially open) and clear fronted drawers can work well.

As conditions like Alzheimer's Disease, progress, many sufferers begin to become unsteady on their feet. For this reason, it’s important dementia-friendly bedrooms have non-slip flooring fitted. This is crucial as it makes falls and associated injuries less likely to occur. Carpet might seem like a good option, but it’s not exactly practical as it’s not easy to get stains or smells out of. Non-slip vinyl flooring, however, is ideal. Whatever flooring is selected, it’s crucial that it’s plain and doesn’t include patterns or flecks of colour. This is because certain patterns or flecks can agitate dementia sufferers who can be confused by them. Many dementia sufferers confuse flecks of colour with dirt, for instance, and spend hours trying to pick them up.

Many dementia sufferers lose the ability to recognise their own reflections, so it’s important that mirrors can be hidden, should they need to be. For this reason, fold away mirrors are a good option. As for windows, it’s a good idea to have blinds in place to prevent reflections from scaring residents.

Because dementia sufferers can have problems seeing dimensions, it’s important that all furniture is a contrasting colour to the walls. This makes it easier for them to tell where objects are, and prevent themselves from walking into things and getting hurt.

Most dementia sufferers have problems with short-term memory. However, their long-term memory stays perfectly intact. That’s why they can clearly remember what they were doing 30 years ago but can’t remember a conversation that they had three minutes ago. For this reason, it’s best to stick to traditional design styles, to ensure that residents aren’t confused or scared by modern fittings and features.