83,000 New Zealanders live with dementia. Here’s how simple design changes can help
New dementia-friendly design guidance shows how simple changes can make homes safer and easier to navigate for people living with the condition.
Dementia affects the way the brain processes visual information, making it difficult for those affected to judge depth, distance and recognise everyday objects. In New Zealand, an estimated 83,000 individuals live with dementia, a number expected to nearly double by 2050. Despite efforts to retrofit homes for their needs, many New Zealand homes are not designed to accommodate the challenges faced by people with dementia.
The University of Auckland's Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research has developed practical guidance to help make homes safer for those living with dementia. Simple design choices like choosing the right flooring, colour contrasts, and highlighting taps and light switches can make a significant difference. Flooring with consistent colours and tones tends to work best, while patterns or sudden changes in colour can be mistaken for obstacles.
Using different colours for walls and floors can help define room boundaries, and chairs should stand out clearly against the floor. In bathrooms, a black tap fitting against a white surface can help it stand out more clearly. Other safety changes include clearing pathways of objects below knee height to reduce the risk of trips and falls, and removing or covering mirrors to prevent confusion.
The guidance also incorporates a Kaupapa Māori Framework that recognises principles such as wairuatanga (spirituality), whanaungatanga (relationships), māramatanga (understanding), and manaakitanga (care and hospitality). By designing homes with these principles in mind, people with dementia may feel more connected to their living environment and experience a greater sense of comfort.
Additionally, incorporating views of nature and considering how a home connects with the natural environment can help create a calmer, more comfortable living space. Dementia-friendly design does not necessarily require expensive renovations or building a new home. Simple changes like removing a confusing doormat, using stronger colour contrasts, or making important fixtures easier to see can significantly enhance the safety and navigability of a home.
As the number of New Zealanders living with dementia continues to grow, the need for adaptive homes will also increase. The authors have no affiliations with any company or organisation that would benefit from this article.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
