Designing for Dementia - Doors hold the key to feeling like home

Dementia is a very big issue for Australia. There are 425,416 Australians living with dementia and an estimated 1.2 million Australians involved in their care and #Every3Seconds someone in the world develops dementia.

Being an award winning aged care and retirement living provider in SE NSW, Warrigal wants to offer our customers the best building and interior designs to ensure people living with dementia at Warrigal experience comfort and ease.

Recent research conducted by Warrigal and the University of Wollongong (UOW) has supported the implementation of striking door designs in assisting with way-finding around our homes.

In several of our aged care homes across the Illawarra, doors into resident own spaces have been designed with unique architectural features including colours, front door mouldings, room numbers, and different door knobs to help support customers to feel at home and to help recognise their own private suite more easily. The hallways have also been designed with brick and timber wall wraps to further support wayfinding.

Some of the other features of the newest aged care community at the Shell Cove Marina include a 1950s backyard complete with a timber shed and an original looking Hills Hoist to encourage connection and reminiscence.

Warrigal is now building on this knowledge with specific dementia training, partnering with the well regarding Dementia Training Australia at the UOW. We are implementing new ideas, fresh thinking and innovative approaches to help improve the lives of people with dementia and their family and friends and helping to create a dementia-friendly world. Anyone can make an appointment to visit Warrigal’s locations by contacting the Service Innovation Team on 1800WARRIGAL.