Setting Up the Home for Someone With Dementia

Principles first

• Keep it familiar. Avoid big changes, new furniture or rearranging, unless safety demands. Keep favourite objects, photographs and chairs.
• Keep it simple. Fewer objects, clear surfaces and uncluttered spaces reduce confusion.
• Make it safe without making it obvious. Hide hazards rather than adding signs of restriction.
• Support abilities. Make it easy to do what the person can still do, such as making tea or finding the toilet.
• Respect dignity and independence. Avoid locking people in; see privacy and dignity with monitoring.
• Review often. Needs change over months; see dementia stages and what each needs.
• Involve the person in choices where possible.

Lighting and sight

Ageing eyes and dementia both make the brain's reading of the environment harder.

• Maximise natural light; open curtains in the day; sit near windows.
• Use bright, even lighting without glare or deep shadows, which can look like objects or holes. Use shades on bare bulbs.
• Light the night route from bed to toilet with warm, low sensor lights; see motion-sensor night lights.
• Keep corridors and stairs well lit.
• Cover or remove mirrors that cause distress, particularly where a person does not recognise themselves; cover windows that reflect at night with curtains.
• Check eyesight regularly, and cataracts; see cataract and glaucoma home care and lighting and contrast at home.

Colour, contrast and patterns

• Contrast key items: toilet seat against the pan, grab bars against the wall, plates against the table, door frames against walls; see dementia-friendly bathroom.
• Plain floors: avoid bold patterns, shiny finishes and dark rugs or mats, which may look like holes or obstacles. Keep floor colour consistent between rooms so thresholds do not look like steps.
• Avoid patterned wallpaper and curtains with objects that might look real, such as flowers or insects.
• Use a different colour for the bathroom door or the bedroom door as a cue.
• Contrast stairs edges with tape or paint; see stairs, steps and thresholds.

Reducing clutter and noise

• Clear surfaces, remove unused furniture and ornaments, and limit choices in cupboards.
• Reduce noise: turn off the television when not watched, close windows to street noise and avoid several conversations at once.
• Keep it calm with soft furnishings and soft music, if enjoyed.
• Avoid sudden loud sounds such as doorbells; consider a softer chime.

Entrance, doors and wandering

• Make doors safe, not locked in: use chimes or sensors to alert carers when a door opens; see door sensor guide and wandering and dementia safety.
• Camouflage exit doors with a curtain or poster, and remove coats and shoes from view.
• Secure balconies, terrace doors and gates; see garden, balcony and terrace safety.
• Never lock a person alone in a room or house; fire and emergency risk; see lock and door safety for seniors.
• Provide ID and a recent photograph; consider a tracker with consent; see GPS trackers for seniors.
• Provide a safe outdoor space, such as a fenced garden or balcony with secure railings.

Living room and daily spaces

• A comfortable chair with firm seat and arms, in a favourite place facing a window; see choosing a chair for an older person.
• A clear clock and calendar showing day and date; see talking clock guide and orientation aids for memory loss.
• Photographs and memory items in view, with names.
• Activity box: simple tasks such as sorting beads, folding cloth, old albums, music; see dementia daily routines.
• Remote controls and phones: simple, large-button devices; hide extras.
• Secure cables, heaters and sharp objects; see safe use of heaters, geysers and fans.

Kitchen

• Make it safe: auto-off kettle, gas shut-off or removal of knobs, appliances unplugged when not in use; see auto-off kettle and stove safety and smoke and gas safety for older adults.
• Lock away cleaning products, sharp knives, alcohol and anything that looks like food but is not.
• Keep favourite snacks and drinks visible and accessible, in clear containers, to support eating; see dementia, eating and weight loss.
• Label cupboards with pictures or words, if helpful.
• Involve the person in safe tasks such as stirring or setting the table.
• Remove food that has spoiled, as the person may eat it.

Bathroom and toilet

• Make the toilet easy to find: door open, light on, a picture sign at eye level, a contrasting seat; see dementia-friendly bathroom.
• Safe water: set the geyser low; use a thermostatic valve if possible; see hot water and scald safety for older skin.
• Grab bars, shower seat and non-slip floor; see bathroom safety checklist.
• Remove or lock razors, medicines and cleaning products.
• Doors that can be opened from outside; no inside bolts.
• Cover mirrors if they distress.
• Toilet routines: see bladder training and timed toileting and incontinence and dementia.

Bedroom

• Familiar bed and bedding; a bed at the right height with a firm edge; see bed height and getting out of bed.
• Clear route to the toilet, with night lights.
• Avoid rails unless advised; consider a low bed or floor mat; see bed choices for dementia and bed safety for restless sleepers.
• Clothes laid out in the order of dressing, with simple choices.
• Remove clutter and loose rugs.
• A comfortable temperature and quiet.
• Familiar objects and a night light.

Medicines and valuables

• Lock medicines and give them under supervision; see dementia and medicines at home.
• Keep money, cards and documents secure; people with dementia are targets for scams and may lose items; see preventing doorstep scams and phone fraud and managing a parent's money safely.
• Have a place for keys and glasses, and spare copies.

Fire, electricity and falls

• Smoke alarms and, where relevant, gas detectors; tested monthly; see safety device batteries and checks.
• Cover unused sockets; keep cords tidy.
• Remove trip hazards; see flooring, rugs and trip hazards and falls risk assessment at home.
• Non-slip, supportive footwear and clothing that does not trail.
• A plan for emergencies, with numbers visible; see emergency contact card and medical summary.

Hearing, sight and comfort

Check hearing and vision regularly, since untreated loss makes confusion worse; see hearing and vision checkup schedule. Keep the home comfortable in heat and cold; see temperature and ventilation at home. Maintain routines for meals, sleep and activity.

Adapting over time

• Early stage: reminders, notes, clocks, medicine organiser, simple cues; support independence.
• Middle stage: safer kitchen, bathroom changes, door alarms, supervision, ID, simplified surroundings.
• Later stage: equipment for mobility and care, a hospital bed, pressure care, feeding and comfort; see hospital bed buying guide and palliative care at home guide.

Review the home every few months, and after any fall or change in behaviour.

Look after the carer

A well-adapted home reduces stress, but caring is demanding. Share duties, rest and seek support; see caring for a parent with dementia at home, caregiver burnout signs and prevention and respite care and taking a break. For dementia challenges such as aggression, see dementia challenging behaviours.

When to ask a professional

An occupational therapist can visit and advise on changes. A doctor or memory clinic can check sudden changes in confusion or behaviour, which may signal infection, pain or medicine effects; see delirium in older adults. A dementia support organisation can offer advice and groups. For senior services, call Elderline 14567. For emergencies, call 112.