Whilst receiving care at home may be the least disruptive form of care for individuals with dementia, creating a dementia-friendly home environment is still important. Home layout, accessibility, and organisation can make all the difference to people living with dementia, especially as the condition progresses.
An experienced dementia carer can provide advice on adapting a home to better suit an individual living with dementia. In addition to overseeing larger-scale adaptations, such as setting up specialist devices designed with dementia sufferers in mind, a dementia carer can make small but effective changes around the home that will make a world of difference to an individual with dementia.
Learn more about how the right home environment can help minimise the effects of dementia on everyday life and support people to retain their sense of independence.
How dementia affects daily life
The symptoms of dementia can affect an individual’s daily life in many ways.
Common symptoms of dementia include:
- Behavioural issues
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Disorientation
- Coordination difficulties
- Loss of empathy
- Speech difficulties
Cognitive symptoms such as memory loss and confusion mean that some people living with dementia forget where things are in their own home, from food and personal belongings to where rooms are in the house. Feelings of disorientation can lead to individuals with dementia not being able to feed themselves, properly hydrate, or find the toilet in time.
Forgetfulness can also extend to taking medications correctly. A person living with dementia may experience confusion around taking medication as instructed and may run the risk of skipping a dose or taking too much. Proper medication management can help to avoid such incidents.
Poor coordination and confusion can also lead to physical effects, resulting in unsteadiness and an increased risk of trips and falls. That’s why a dementia-friendly home should be clear and clutter-free, reducing the risk of an accident.
Why is having a dementia-friendly home important?
The symptoms of dementia can make ordinary activities associated with everyday life much more challenging. By adapting the home, you can make these obstacles easier to overcome.
Finding everyday activities that an individual could once do with ease, now more difficult, can be frustrating and negatively impact mood. Cognitive issues, coordination problems, and memory problems may result in abandoning much-loved hobbies. Losing aspects of your former life prior to dementia diagnosis can be disheartening and affect quality of life. By having activities or simple everyday tasks set out in a dementia-friendly way, it may be possible for a person to retain their sense of independence and purpose.
Not only does dementia make everyday activities challenging, but it can also endanger those living with dementia and their families. Dementia-related memory issues such as forgetting to switch appliances off can waste energy and more importantly, can put everyone living in the property at risk should a fire break out or a gas leak occur. So, having dementia-friendly safeguards in place is essential.
Tips on creating a dementia-friendly home
To avoid the negative effects dementia may have on mood and its risk to life, the property of an individual with dementia should be specially kitted out to make living at home that much easier. Here are a few useful tips on creating a dementia-friendly home.
Well-lit
Poor lighting can exacerbate disorientation, leading to increased risks of confusion and accidents. Ensuring that all rooms and walkways have plenty of light allows individuals to see clearly where they are and limits disorientation. Equally important is ensuring that bedroom areas are dark enough to promote natural sleep patterns.
Signage
People living with dementia can have trouble remembering where foods, medication, and other items have been placed. Signage on doors, cupboards, and around the home in general can help to limit confusion and distress. In addition, keeping objects in the same place can help remind individuals where things are.
Floor space
Ensuring that floor space is clean and clutter-free can reduce the risk of trips, slips, and falls, as dementia can affect mobility and coordination. Limiting clutter can also make finding things easier and minimise the frustration of losing glasses, medication and other everyday items.
Specialist equipment
Equip your property with mobility aids and specialist devices that can help with the symptoms of dementia. There is specialist equipment available to help with moving around the home, detecting and alerting you about security risks and other hazards and sensors that remind you if the water has been left running, for example.
Stay active
Remaining as active as possible and going outdoors regularly are good for your physical well-being and provide cognitive stimulation. The sights, sounds and smells of nature can be calming and also trigger memory.
Explore our downloadable, free dementia care guide for more tips and advice.
How Country Cousins can help
An experienced dementia carer can help to implement strategies that make living independently at home possible for people with this condition. At Country Cousins, we provide expert live-in dementia care that addresses the symptoms of this progressive condition and adapts to changing care needs, allowing individuals to remain in the comfort of their own homes.
With more than 60 years of experience, we have extensive expertise in a wide range of home care services. You can trust us to help you find the most suitable carer to support your loved one in dealing with the effects of dementia with our dementia care service. For more information on selecting dementia care for you or your elderly loved one, check out our guide to dementia care at home.
Talk to our team today
If you require live-in dementia care for you or your loved one, get in touch with us at Country Cousins today. We are the UK’s longest-serving introductory care agency, having provided compassionate care to people in their own homes since 1959.
Give us a call today on 01293 224 706 should you have any questions about home care. Our experienced team is on hand to help from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. Alternatively, contact us through our online enquiry form
