Designing care homes for people with dementia

Abstract

I f there’s one paint colour that annoys psychologist and dementia care expert Maria Parsons, it’s magnolia. This dreary hue covers the interior walls of many care homes, and she wishes that managers would use warmer colours. Dirty brown is another colour she abhors. Colours and contrasts are important in care home design. They must lead to person-centred care, she believes, giving residents privacy, dignity and self-esteem. Design should also compensate for cognitive impairments. ‘I’ve seen some totally dull, awful colours that look like mud,’ Ms Parsons told the National Care Homes Congress in Birmingham recently. ‘We know what happens to the ageing eye and how it becomes more difficult to see things, so I’m not surprised that people respond well to warm colours.’ She went on to explain that light is important too. ‘I go into some care homes and there is a light beam concentrated in one place, while everything else is in the shadows. It feels a bit Designing care homes for people with dementia