Being able to live independently for as long as possible, ageing in place over time, is something that’s important to the vast majority of us.
However, it’s important that we’re honest with ourselves about our changing needs or those of our friends, family and loved ones so that we can make the necessary home adaptations to ensure that we can continue living within the comfort of our own home as we get older.
September is World Alzheimer’s Month and, as such, there’s no time quite like the present to make sure that your home or that of your loved one is as dementia-friendly as it can be.
If you’re not sure where to begin, here are four ideas and recommendations from the Concept Care team. If you’d like to find out more, give us a call today to see how we can help.
Improve your lighting systems
Lighting up your home properly will help you to see clearly throughout the day, as well as helping you to keep track of time by letting more natural light into your home.
Shadows and dark spots in the house can also be confusing if you have dementia, so eliminate these through better lighting systems. This can be achieved by changing curtains and moving plants so that light isn’t blocked out, putting lighter bulbs in fittings, cleaning the windows regularly, using dimmer switches and so on.
Use bright contrasting colours
People with dementia often find themselves feeling confused or disorientated within the home, but you can make it easier to navigate your way around by using bright and contrasting colours for your home furnishings. This will help you see them more easily. Note, however, that while bright colours can be beneficial, patterns can make matters worse.
You can also make your home safer and less confusing by removing mirrors, artwork and paintings, as these can also cause difficulties as the disease progresses.
Ease of identification
One of the earliest symptoms of dementia is memory problems and you may find that you start forgetting where you keep certain items. Make it easier to identify what’s in your cupboards and drawers by positioning labels and pictures on the external surfaces.
Alternatively, you could use open shelving and transparent doors so you can see what’s stored where.
For important items, make sure you keep these in the same place at all times – and make sure that you let people you trust know where they can be found, just in case you can’t locate them or you need them in an emergency.
Let others know
One of the most important aspects of structuring your home to suit your condition is to let other people know that you’ve done so. This means that they won’t come into the home and rearrange items or make changes without your permission.
