While I don’t believe in “reorienting” people with dementia (and no one should) there is something to be said for using big calendars in dementia care communities. We don’t want to try and bring people with dementia into our reality, but it’s a great idea to let them know what’s going on that day, or …
Textiles for senior living have come a long way since I started my interior design career. I remember coming across chairs upholstered in the first iteration of Crypton fabrics during my site visits. These ‘fabrics’ were more like printed vinyls, in all shades of rose, blue, and seafoam green. They reminded me of furniture …
Flooring is an easily overlooked, yet very important part of a living space. Of all of the materials in a building, it is probably what sees the most abuse. It also has a huge impact on a room’s ambiance and the sound levels. I wanted to talk about flooring today because I keep seeing projects …
How can you make a bathroom (called a “spa” in some communities) more relaxing and dementia-friendly? Rachael: Fights and bathing go hand-in-hand in dementia care. It’s one of the biggest challenges surrounding the care of a person with dementia. They don’t want to bathe, and you don’t know why. The good news is that most …
What is this space? Amanda: This is a gardening memory station located in a community courtyard. This community is located in the Midwest, so the bench can be brought inside when winter is near. If taken inside, typically suggest a station like this be located near windows where you can see flowers and landscaping, or …
What is this space? Rachael: This is an interactive “word wall,” designed after something cool and similar I saw on Pinterest! There wasn’t much going on with this wall beforehand—it was just being used for pictures. I decided to frame it out and use magnetic paint to make it something fun! What materials did you …