Simple home design changes can help New Zealand's 83,000 dementia sufferers live more safely

HouGarden New Zealand, 29 September — The guidance was developed by researchers Ngaire Kerse, Joyce Cook Chair in Ageing Well and Director of the Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research at the University of Auckland, and Keisha Rawiri, a PhD candidate and researcher at the university's MĀPIHI Māori and Pacific Housing Research Centre. They worked alongside Alzheimer's New Zealand, design practice The Village Architect, aged-care professionals and people living with dementia.

Dementia progressively affects how the brain processes visual information, making it harder to judge depth and distance and to recognise familiar objects. A dark doormat can look like a hole in the floor. A patterned carpet can appear uneven underfoot. A chair can become difficult to identify or to move around safely.

The researchers say dementia-friendly design does not require expensive renovations or a new build. Many of the recommended changes cost little or nothing and are within reach of any household caring for an older person at home.

Flooring is one of the first things to consider. Consistent colours and tones work best because patterns or sudden colour changes can be mistaken for obstacles or shifts in floor level. At the same time, deliberate contrast between walls and floors can signal where a room ends, and a strongly contrasting chair can be easier to spot and use safely.

In bathrooms, a simple picture on the door can help a person with dementia locate the toilet. A black tap stands out more clearly against a white basin than a silver one does. Light switches are easier to find when they contrast with the surrounding wall.

Clearing objects below knee height from pathways reduces the risk of trips and falls. Mirrors that cause confusion or distress can be removed or covered. On appliances and fittings, the researchers note that traditional knobs and dials are often simpler to use than modern touchscreens — meaning newer fixtures are not necessarily better.

For people with dementia who may lose their sense of time, access to natural light, weather and seasonal changes can provide useful orientation cues. The researchers encourage households to consider how a home connects with the natural environment, noting that views of and access to nature can create a calmer living environment.

The programme also draws on Māori cultural principles as design guides: wairuatanga (spirituality), whanaungatanga (relationships), māramatanga (understanding) and manaakitanga (care and hospitality), as well as mauri ora o te whare (the living essence of the building) and mauri ora o te whenua (the living essence of the land).

New training courses have been developed for people living with dementia and their family members and caregivers, as well as for aged-care workers, architects, designers and others involved in adapting or creating homes. Alzheimer's New Zealand and The Village Architect are partners in delivering that training.

For households with elderly relatives or anyone planning ahead for ageing in place, the researchers' core message is practical: removing a confusing mat, applying stronger colour contrasts or making a tap easier to see are steps that can be taken immediately, without professional help, and at minimal cost. As New Zealand's dementia population continues to grow, the researchers say the need for adaptable homes will only increase.