Environmental design

Physical environment including architectural design embodies a highly influential

factor in the care of people with dementia. Dementia-friendly design and adaptations in the physical environment exert beneficial effects on performance on activities of daily living, decreasing the frequency and intensity of challenging behaviours and on improving quality of life. The overall configuration of a building influences the level of orientation in people with dementia. Aspects of dementia- friendly environments include

  • Single rooms with individual and home-like character
  • Personal furniture and objects
  • Uniqueness of common rooms
  • Short corridors, few decision points
  • Calm surroundings, noise reduction
  • Well visible and accessible toilets
  • Appropriate lighting, use of visual contrast
  • Provision of outdoor space, e. g. therapeutic garden.
  • Bright lighting, large windows
  • Rough and uneven walking surfaces can provoke falls
  • Stairs: Poor step design, unclearly defined edges, inadequate handrails and loose carpets can cause falls
  • Removal of unnecessary objects, environment simplification, object labeling, colour contrast and purposeful object placement reduce the needed support for performing activities of daily living and enhance independence
  • Camouflaged doors, concealed doorknobs, blinds or cloth barriers over doors can be used to reduce exit attempts
  • Easily visible kitchen items that are supposed to be used by the person with dementia, e. g. by glass-fronted wall units
  • Safety devices (e. g. automatic shut-offs, flood prevention and detection devices, smoke detectors) should be fitted.
  • Using pictures as models and providing colored cups support oral care  and handwashing
  • Arrows and signs with the word „toilet“ and a picture can be effective in directing people with dementia to enter and use the toilet independently