Dementia Care: Designing A Better Bathroom

If our goal is to keep a person with dementia as independent as possible, it would make sense to design or alter the bathroom area so it is as easy to use as possible.  

Here are a few things to consider in making a bathroom dementia-friendly:

1. Use a wide entry door and proper door swing so the person can navigate safely
2. Install grab bars that are angled away from the wall which seem to be more useful than the standard horizontal bar since some residents may not have good upper body strength
3. Give consideration to toilet height.  Sometimes a seat riser or thicker toilet seat may help the person reach their destination
4. Think about adding color contrast.  Since bathrooms can be white or monochromatic, it is important to create contrast between the floor and the toilet or the sinktop and the floor.  Again, this contrast helps the person with dementia locate the all important sink or toilet.
5. Use mirrors with caution as mirrors may help those in the early stages of dementia if installed low enough but could confuse someone in the later stages of dementia.  The possible confusion for a person in the middle stages of dementia might be seeing their own reflection and not recognizing themselves; instead seeing a stranger.

These changes can be tricky in the home environment but even changing one or two things might make all the difference to your person with dementia.

What have you tried in your bathroom environment that has worked?  Please share!

 

Comments

[Catherine Klatt]

We designed a new bathroom for our mother that is wonderful! Key elements:
* Roll-in shower, with a seat that folds up/down and a grab bar on the outer side that folds up out of the way
* A grab bar on one side of the (raised) toilet that folds up out of the way, so we can help her as needed
* a half wall on the other side of the toilet, between it and the main part of the bathroom, for modesty (but it has to be firmly anchored)
* grab bars for the towel bars, so that she can hang onto them safely - much easier than trying to differentiate between towel bars and grab bars
* a pocket door, so it can slide entirely out of the way

You haven't posted in awhile - I hope you're OK!

[Sue]

Hi Catherine: How great of you to give the readers specifics on how you did your bathroom update for safety!

One of the items you included that often is suggested is the pocket door so it can get out of the way but also be left open much of the time so a person with dementia can easily see the toilet.

Thanks for your good thoughts. I am about to do a post now!

Thanks again for sharing with everyone, Sue