Many new care homes are built with dementia care at the core of the design, but even in homes that are not purpose built, small adaptations can be made to help people with the condition recognise where they are and feel calm, says Davina Ludlow, chair of carehome.co.uk
Having dementia can be frightening and confusing, and even the most familiar environment can become strange and disorientating to a person with the condition. With 80 per cent of care home residents living with some form of dementia, it is vital that dementiafriendly design is an integral part of every residential setting.1
Many new care homes are built with dementia at the core of their design, but even those that have not been purpose built can be adapted. Small adaptations can be made to help people with dementia recognise where they are and feel calm in their environment, which can have a huge impact on wellbeing, reduce frustration and help them navigate their way around the home.
According to the Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) at Stirling University, which has developed best practice guidelines for a range of settings including care homes, “Getting design right can improve the life experiences and increase the life expectancy of those affected by dementia”.
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