Dementia friendly homes...

RESEARCHERS at Loughborough University are playing a vital part in the construction of a new ‘dementia-friendly’ home aimed at learning how better to support those living with the condition.

The 100sqm Victorian house will be adapted to cater for different types, and stages, of the debilitating illness, and is aimed at allowing sufferers to live independently by addressing their day-to-day needs.

The tailored features of the converted terraced house in Watford have been designed by researchers from Loughborough University and building science centre BRE.

Once complete, it will act as a show home and give developers, care providers and families an opportunity to learn about better ways to equip a home to help people with dementia.

As part of Loughborough’s ongoing research in this area, academics will also study how the features are used with a view to further improving ways to support homeowners with dementia.

The converted building’s features will include clear lines of sight and colour-coded paths through the home that help guide people towards each specific room, increased natural lighting, noise reduction features to lower the chances of stress, and simple switches and heating controls, and safety sensors in high risks areas such as the kitchen.

Professor Jacqui Glass, of Loughborough’s School of Civil and Building Engineering, said: “Most people experiencing dementia wish to remain at home - with this project we want to show how design solutions can be to be easily integrated within most current homes and communities.”