RAINBOW REMEDIES

HOW colour can affect us. This week: Blue can help dementia patients THE colour of crockery can influence how much we eat. This can be used to help patients with cognitive decline who lose interest in food and risk malnutrition.

When caterers at Salisbury District Hospital served meals in the dementia ward on blue plates instead of white, the amount of food eaten went up from 114g per person to 152g.

One side-effect of dementia is a decrease in the perception of colours, so blue plates provide a contrast which makes food easier to see.

Adding a coloured seat to a toilet in a white bathroom can also be helpful. It makes it easier for them to reach the toilet faster, decreasing the incidence of incontinence.

An app to be launched in autumn called IRIDIS will help dementia carers by using photos of their home to suggest improvements — including how the use of colour can help.