Design for the mind

Design for the mind Helping caregivers make small but impactful changes that will make a more dementia friendly home for their loved ones.

How can a soap dish help people with dementia?I often hear caregivers comment on their loved ones forgetting to wash the...
19/10/2021

How can a soap dish help people with dementia?

I often hear caregivers comment on their loved ones forgetting to wash their hands after using the bathroom. I realised that a lot of the time it’s not a case of forgetting but a case of not processing the soap is on the sink and available. So I designed a soap dish that creates a strong contrast from the soap to the soap dish, which highlights the soaps presence, prompting the mind to initiate hand washing.

They are available in the link in my bio and are £4.99 for 2 soap dishes inc. postage.

It may only be a small change but having good personal care can help in so many areas, such as confidence, mood and enabling a feeling of independence.

I hope my little soap dish can be a little help to many of you 😊 🧼 🛁 🖐

Such a rewarding feeling receiving such positive feedback from customers.I think this one explains the home survey servi...
18/05/2021

Such a rewarding feeling receiving such positive feedback from customers.

I think this one explains the home survey service better than I have on any marketing 😂

It’s great to be able to get a feel for how someone uses the home and to see first hand any difficulties they may be having.

If you’d like to have a chat about whether a home survey might help you or a loved one don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Creating a dementia friendly space.Flooring - tip #2 Falls can often be prevented by removing risk and the first step i...
29/04/2021

Creating a dementia friendly space.

Flooring - tip #2

Falls can often be prevented by removing risk and the first step in simplifying your space is to have a good declutter. Especially items such as wires, books/magazines that can be easily missed.

Decluttering doesn’t mean living in an empty space but it can be good practice to go through items periodically to think what value they add and whether they’re used often.



Creating a dementia friendly spaceFlooring - TIP #1If possible having one continuous flooring with no thresholds is alw...
28/04/2021

Creating a dementia friendly space
Flooring - TIP #1

If possible having one continuous flooring with no thresholds is always best. When making changes to the home this isn’t always possible because of layouts, extensions that have been added on or just because of budgets.
There are still plenty of things that can be done to create a safer home that encourages confidence with wayfinding as well as removing trip/fall hazards.

One simple tip can be to remove rugs where possible. Having a rug in a pathway or the middle of a room can not only cause a trip hazard but could also be mistaken for an object or obstacle, stopping someone from travelling across the room to where they want to go.

This may not happen every time, it may not happen at all but by simplifying a space we are removing the risk of the confusion.
A noticeable change in the brains processing ability is a common early symptom of dementia and I believe simplifying a space can help the brain to process its surroundings easier which can make a huge difference to day to day living.



A customer testimonial received this week for our in-home survey. Feedback like this really motivates us to help others ...
28/04/2021

A customer testimonial received this week for our in-home survey. Feedback like this really motivates us to help others living at home with dementia 😊. If you’d like to discuss any of our services please don’t hesitate to get in touch on Facebook/email or phone to see if we can help you and your loved ones.

Creating a dementia friendly home - FLOORINGFlooring plays a big part in the home both in our comfort and our safety. Wh...
28/04/2021

Creating a dementia friendly home - FLOORING

Flooring plays a big part in the home both in our comfort and our safety.

When making changes to the home there are some simple considerations that will help make sure it’s dementia friendly, I’ll share a few over the next few days.

If you’re looking at making any changes to the flooring in your home (a common one is the bathroom if you’re installing a wet room for example) feel free to get in touch for advice on materials/colours etc.


15/04/2021

I made a little video following last weeks where was speaking with the fantastic Wendy Mitchell and about living with dementia.

It was great to hear Wendy talk about enabling people living with dementia to continue with everyday tasks and hobbies. I’m sure her story about her daughter’s putting her coat on for her when visiting struck true with a lot of listeners.

I think we all have that instinct to take control and do everything we can for our loved ones, but often that can take independence and purpose away from the person we’re trying to help.
That’s why a lot of my recommendations are made to encourage activity and independence around the home.

Whilst there’s no cure for dementia, we can certainly make positive changes to help people not only live with dementia but to live well with dementia.

Tip #5 Sounds of nature 🍃 I mention getting outside a lot, but I think this last year backs up just how important fresh...
28/03/2021

Tip #5 Sounds of nature 🍃

I mention getting outside a lot, but I think this last year backs up just how important fresh air and nature is for our mental health as well as our physical health.

The evidence for this tip isn’t specific to people living with dementia, studies show it applies to humans on a biological level.

However as people living with, and people living alongside dementia often struggle with feelings of anxiety and low mood, I thought it was a nice one to include.

Taking time to visit a local park/nature reserve, with a pond or a river, and spending time just watching and listening can give a real boost to your mood, help calm the mind and ease anxiety.

Tip #4 High pitch soundsSome people living with dementia can find it hard to identify sounds and are often more sensiti...
25/03/2021

Tip #4 High pitch sounds

Some people living with dementia can find it hard to identify sounds and are often more sensitive to high pitch sounds such as alarm clocks and ringtones.

Now I’m not suggesting stripping the batteries out of your smoke alarm or anything like that. A couple of ways to minimise sounds that may cause shock would be to opt for an alarm clock that plays music instead of beeping and turning your phone to silent or vibrate if you’re visiting someone living with dementia (phone companies seem to be experts on alerts that cause anxiety when they go off 😂)

Tip #3 Having too many noises around us can make it hard to concentrate and take things in. I know I find it hard in a ...
24/03/2021

Tip #3

Having too many noises around us can make it hard to concentrate and take things in. I know I find it hard in a busy bar/restaurant and this tends to be heightened for those living with dementia.
When dining out or entertaining it’s worth keeping this in mind, even if someone’s always been the life of the party you might find they start to withdraw in larger groups. This doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t want to socialise but it might be that going to a restaurant during a quieter period or having a get together with just a few of you will be much more enjoyable and make it easier to feel involved.

Tip #2Avoid having the TV as background noise. If someone is watching the TV then it can be a great source of entertain...
23/03/2021

Tip #2

Avoid having the TV as background noise. If someone is watching the TV then it can be a great source of entertainment but we can all be guilty of leaving it on in the background and this can lead to confusion and distraction for a few reasons. For example:

- Socialising - if you’re trying to have a conversation with someone with dementia and there’s also conversations happening on the TV, the two can become confused.

- Delirium - again if the TV is on in the background and you aren’t intentionally watching it can cause discomfort if something like Eastenders comes on and all of a sudden there’s shouting, arguing and crying in the room you’re trying to relax in.
There are many cases where delirium’s of people being in the room have been linked back to the TV being on, or where the characters from the TV have reflected in windows making it seem like they are in the room.

It’s for these reasons it’s recommended the television doesn’t become the main focal point of a room but rather something more comforting such as a fire surround is made prominent. I also recommend making sure curtains are closed once it’s dark to avoid reflections causing alarm.

Address

Macclesfield
SK103AA

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 6pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 6pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 6pm
Thursday 8:30am - 6pm
Friday 8:30am - 6pm

Telephone

+447972445526

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Design for the mind posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category