COLOURANDDEMENTIA
What is Dementia? Dementia is a term used to describe a collection of diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer’s,Vascular Dementia and Dementia with Lewy bodies. Initial symptoms of Dementia are very subtle but gradually worsen to cause problems with daily living; memory loss, problems with reasoning and communication skills, and a reduction in a person’s abilities and skills in carrying out daily activities such as washing, dressing and cooking are all symptoms of the disease. Dementia occurs mainly in people over the age of 65 however it is not a natural part of the aging process. Creating an accessible interior can help people with Dementia remain as independent as possible for as long as possible. Ultimately, attentive care will become more relevant than good design but nevertheless good design does play an important role. As with designing and adapting interior spaces to be user friendly for the elderly, many of the same adaptations and practical ideas can be adopted to make living spaces safe and enjoyable for a person living with Dementia. Naturally, as people age, ailments such as sight and hearing loss, as well as mobility and balance problems, become common, but a person suffering with Dementia may not identify having these problems and therefore
Impaired hearing As people age, a general deterioration in hearing ability is common. People with hearing impairment and Dementia need a quiet environment with special attention paid to acoustics. Measures should be taken to avoid or prevent sources of noise. Materials used within the building should absorb rather than reflect sounds which could add to confusion. Impaired memory, reasoning and learning Sudden and dramatic changes to the design of a Dementia sufferer’s home or a complete change of their living environment may lead to disorientation. Day-to-day memory will be affected too; such as forgetting what happened earlier in the day. They may also struggle with communication and find themselves unable to follow the thread of a conversation. Impaired memory can lead to feelings of insecurity and confusion which can be overwhelming and trigger behaviour such as sadness, anger, or fright. As a result, sufferers may forget that they are subject to additional age related impairments such as hearing and sight loss. Perceptual problems Visuoperceptual problems are particularly prevalent in people with Alzheimer’s and can result in misinterpretation of what is seen.
Differentiating between storeys in blocks of flats Changes in colour and tone between floors cannot solely be relied upon to help Dementia sufferers navigate their way around a building. Each floor might also be themed by a combination of photographs and or pictures which are age appropriate, perhaps with landmarks to aid recognition and thus provide a sense of security. Corridors It is important to adhere to tonal contrast between critical areas (as described on page 5) and pay particular attention to lighting (as described earlier). Ideally, floors should be carpeted to minimise injury from any falls. However, floor coverings should be consistent in tone from the corridor to any rooms accessed by people with Dementia, with no obvious visible barrier at the threshold which could be perceived as a physical hazard.Where different flooring materials meet, use textures and colours that are similar in appearance to encourage movement across the join. If possible try to avoid threshold strips which can cause people to stop or falter, as these too appear to be an obstacle. To avoid confusion for anyone with visuoperceptual problems, patterned, striped or flecked carpet should be avoided. Although it is recommended that items such as doormats should be similar or identical in
may find themselves less able to seek changes to their environment appropriate to their particular needs. The impairments of Dementia The common impairments of people who live with Dementia for which good design needs to compensate for are: • Impaired sight • Impaired hearing • Impaired memory (especially recent memory), reasoning and learning • Perceptual problems Impaired sight As well as taking into account good tonal colour contrast, addressed on page 5, good lighting contrast is also necessary. Before considering any addition of artificial light, the amount of natural daylight freely should be maximised. This might mean pulling back curtains so that they are well away from the window frames and removing blinds or obstacles outside the window which block natural daylight. Inside the building any artificial light should ideally mimic daylight with a range of artificial lights (ceiling, centrally positioned lights and wall lights) to reduce glare and shadows. Ensure wall and floor surfaces are of a matt finish to avoid glare or high reflection.
tone to the carpet it is better to avoid them altogether. As Dementia progresses it can cause people to lose mobility and shuffle their feet when they walk; this combined with reduced vision can cause them to trip and fall over any uneven surface. Again choose matt, non-slip finishes and steer clear of any type of flooring with a sheen as this takes on the appearance of being wet and therefore slippery. In some instances contrasting textures and colours could be used to act as a deterrent. Signs and visual aids Signs & visual aids can usefully be adopted to help people remain independent for as long as possible. The use of pictures as well as words will help to illustrate a room’s function. For example, the use of a clear, graphic illustration of a chair would depict a lounge and is best attached to the door of the room rather than an adjacent wall. It is thought that using graphics as well as words assist understanding. Here, black or dark grey text on a yellow background is the easiest to see. The University of Stirling suggests that signs should be mounted at a height of 1.2m above floor level because people with Dementia tend to look predominantly downwards. Doors It is recommended that doors of identical appearance are not used throughout a
wallpapers with strong geometrical shapes or highly contrasting colours. Stay away from very bright, over stimulating colour – keep shades tonal, quiet and reasonably muted. Any objects that have personal significance are encouraged: indoor plants, pictures, age appropriate furniture. Early childhood dolls and teddy bears can be comforting and provide solace. Dining rooms & kitchens In dining rooms and kitchens, the use of glazed cupboards or open units make objects easier to find, without the need to memorise where things are. Advance patients of Dementia may not recognize their own reflection, so mirrors could cause distress and confusion. Resident bedrooms It is good practice to paint all bedroom doors the same or similar colours and use large clear lettering that can easily be seen, showing the room number to aid orientation and independence. Memory walls next to the bedroom door (to make a space immediately recognisable to someone with Dementia) can be useful and should include items personal to the resident.
building. Doors leading to areas with different functions should rather be made different in appearance. All toilet doors could be painted in the same bright primary shade for maximum visibility and aid orientation. There are theories that as these are the first colours (apart from black & white) we learn as infants, they are the colours we are most likely to remember. Doors not to be used by the person with Dementia should be made less visible. The door and architrave could be the same colour as the walls and handrails could be continued across the door to match corridor handrails. Likewise, kick-plates should match the door colour or be of clear plastic. Communal rooms Rooms within the domestic setting should be instantly recognisable to reassure. For example a living room should include a fireplace, bookshelves, TV, radio, comfortable sofas and easy chairs. It should have a comfortable, domestic appearance and there should be a key focus in the room although this should not be the television because it is thought to be frightening for people with Dementia. Again tonal contrast between critical areas needs to be considered (in a lounge, furniture should also contrast tonally to the floor and the background wall). Too much pattern on the walls should be avoided - for example
For example, wavy lines on wallpaper or stripes within a carpet may appear to move, and a change of tone in the carpet from room to room from dark to light or vice versa should be viewed as a potential hazard as the sufferer can perceive such tonal changes as steps or obstacles to navigate, or even a hole in the ground. Judging distances in space may also become difficult. How can buildings be designed better to help people with Dementia? Entrance areas A porch or canopy into the building can help an individual’s eyes adjust to the change between outdoor and indoor lighting levels. To create a home from home environment any reception area should be bright and welcoming with comfortable seating and lighting that guides the eye towards the most important elements, such as signs and way markers. Ideally, photographs should be placed on the walls depicting local landmarks to aid recognition and thus provide a sense of security to the Dementia sufferer. A memory cabinet of objects from a bygone era may help diminish any insecurity and begin to settle a Dementia sufferer’s anxiety.
It’s not just paint.
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