How to make your home more dementia friendly

If you're living with dementia, there are some practical things you can do at home to make life easier. If you care for someone with dementia, these changes may reassure you that their home is as comfortable and safe as possible. 

What should I consider before making any changes?

Making simple adjustments around your home can make a real difference, but there are certain things to bear in mind when making changes. 

Not all of the changes will be needed by everyone, and some may not work for everyone, so read through and decide what's suitable for you. Some of the changes may be helpful now, while some may be better in the future. 

Make changes sooner rather than later, because this gives you more time to adjust to the changes. If possible, try not to make too many changes at once. 

You may find you need larger adaptations or specialist equipment. These should be addressed in your care needs assessment. To arrange this, you need to get in touch with your local council. 

Adapting your stairs and hallways

It can be easy to overlook these areas, but stairs and hallways can cause real issues and increase the risk of a fall. 

Move rugs and mats at the top or bottom of the stairs out of the way as they're a trip hazard and can easily lead to a fall.

Avoid dark doormats which can sometimes look like a hole if you have dementia.

Mark the edge of each step with paint or anti-slip tape to help you judge their depth. Make sure any tape is stuck down well. 

Having similar flooring between rooms can help you move around more freely. This is helpful as sometimes the threshold between rooms can look like a step or something on the floor you need to get around. It’s worth bearing in mind that shinier floors can appear like they’re wet if you have dementia.

Avoid placing furniture where it might block your path through or between rooms.

Stick Post-it Notes somewhere at eye level near the front door to remind you to pick up your keys and lock the door when you're leaving the house. If you're worried about going out alone and being unable to find your way back, 'STOP' reminders on the inside of the door at eye level can be helpful. 

Adapting your living room

Everyone wants to feel comfortable and safe in their living room. Making some small changes can help to keep it a relaxed and reassuring place. 

Remove trip hazards like trailing wires, clutter and rugs. Also, try and avoid using glass furniture as it can be harder to see and could cause you to trip. 

Photos of loved ones, special occasions and happy memories can be comforting and help trigger memories. You might want to label photos with names and relationships to help you remember exactly who's who. 

Listening to music or the radio can have a calming effect, and may remind you of your favourite songs and tunes. You could try using playlists to help with certain moods or memories.

Note down the details of your favourite TV programmes, such as the channel and time they’re on. You might find it helpful to get a simple remote control – these only perform main functions like changing the channel or volume, so they have fewer buttons than regular remotes. You could also get a simple remote, which has fewer buttons, or a remote with larger buttons. 

Adapting your kitchen

Some small changes can help you remember where things are kept or how to do certain tasks in the kitchen. 

Leave everyday items like tea and sugar out on worktops to make them easier to find – you can also label them or use clear plastic containers to see what’s inside.

Label cupboards and drawers to make it easier to locate what you want. Sticking photographs of the contents on each door or drawer can also be helpful to remind you what's inside.

Fit an automatic shut-off mechanism on the cooker to avoid accidentally leaving the cooker on after using it. Some newer cookers already have these mechanisms built in. If you think you might leave the gas hob on, it's a good idea to fit a gas detector. 

Be careful when using stainless steel appliances, like kettles or toasters, as they can get very hot and cause burns. You might want to think about buying safer kitchen appliances, like plastic kettles so that you can avoid using stainless steel appliances altogether.

Write out step-by-step instructions for regular tasks and leave them near relevant appliances. For example, you could put tea-making instructions by the kettle.

Use contrasting tones for cups and plates to make it easier to identify food and drink. For example, mashed potato on a white plate can be tricky to see – a contrasting plate would make the potato more noticeable.

Label cleaning products or pet food and keep them all in the same place, away from food products.

The kitchen can be a good place to have a wall calendar or whiteboard to keep track of tasks and activities.

Adapting your bedroom

Adapting the bedroom doesn't necessarily mean buying expensive equipment – there are some small, simple changes that can make a real difference. 

Install a night light or a motion-activated light near your bed, so that you can see where you're going if you often get up during the night.

Leaving the bedroom door open and have a light on the landing, which can help you find the toilet at night.

Try not to keep too many clothes, shoes or cosmetics on shelves and in wardrobes – too much choice can be overwhelming and make decisions difficult. You might also find it helpful to lay out clothes in the order you put them on, with underwear first. 

Use bedding that contrasts in colour with the floor so that the bed is easier to see. But avoid busy patterns, because these can be visually confusing. 

Fit pressure mats under the mattress or beside the bed. These detect if you get up and don't return to bed within a certain time, which alerts an emergency response centre or a chosen contact, such as your neighbour or carer. 

Remove any trip hazards, such as clothes on the floor, trailing wires and rugs.

Keep special mementos in a safe place, with a label to remind you where you’ve put them. Jewellery can be easy to misplace, so you could consider using a jewellery box.

Adapting your bathroom

Bathrooms are spaces that are used a lot, so it's important that they're safe and easy to get to. 

Paint the bathroom door a bright colour, stick a sign on the door or leave the door open so the room can be seen and accessed easily. 

Install a different coloured toilet seat and lid to make it easier to see. Some people find it easier to use the toilet if the seat’s left up or taken off altogether.

Think about fitting your bath and sink with flood-prevention plugs. These let water out automatically when baths or sinks become too full. Some of them also change colour when the water gets too hot so you know to be careful.

Keep medicines stored away safely, out of reach. Put medicines that you need regularly in an automated pill box. Make sure any out-of-date or unwanted medications are disposed of – this can be arranged with your local chemist. 

Think about changing taps to separate hot and cold taps that are labelled well to avoid confusion.

Cover up mirrors, if you find them confusing – you can uncover them when you need them. 

Consider bigger adaptations such as grab rails and shower stools to help you use the bathroom safely. These adaptations may be more expensive but could help you stay independent for as long as possible. 

General tips for your whole home

There are some general changes you can make around your home that can help you stay safer and more independent. 

Keep your house well lit. Use brighter bulbs or get some lamps for darker areas of your home. Open your curtains fully during the day to let in as much natural light as possible. 

Check you have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed, and test them regularly.

Keep a list of important contacts, such as loved ones or carers, by the phone. You can get phones that can be pre-programmed with important numbers which will dial at the press of a button.

Talk to your local council and fire and rescue service about the services they provide, and whether you might be eligible for free equipment, advice or a safety check.

What if I'm a friend, family member or carer of someone with dementia?

As a friend, family member or carer of someone living with dementia, you may be wondering what you can do to help. Dementia can make it difficult for people to do practical things. Little changes around their home can be a real help, but it's important to consider certain things when making changes.

Involve the person living with dementia as much as possible. Depending on the extent of their condition, try to work as a team and find solutions together. It's important that, where possible, friends and families support the person to do things for themselves rather than doing it for them. Make sure you take their likes and dislikes into account when changing things.

Don't make unnecessary changes. Routine and familiarity can be a real comfort, especially for people with dementia. Some things may have to be changed, but try to keep things the same where you can.

Focus on one or two things at a time. Conversations about lots of different changes can be overwhelming – focusing on one or two at a time can make the process a little easier, especially for the person with dementia.

Seek further advice about making changes. You could consult an occupational therapist or arrange a care needs assessment with your local council. There are also many support organisations for people with dementia.