DESIGNING DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY BATHROOMS
Stuart Reynolds, UK Marketing & Product Management Director at AKW, discusses how bathrooms can be a difficult place for those living with dementia and how this space can be adapted to better suit them.
With an ageing population, it is no surprise that dementia is on the rise in the general population. However, building specifications to accommodate this issue are playing catch up. This guidance is based on work with the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC).
DEMENTIA IS ON THE RISE
It is estimated that the number of people with dementia in England & Wales may reach approximately 1.7 million over the next 15 years, which is about 40% higher than earlier estimates. The fact that a large proportion of people remain undiagnosed means that the official diagnosis figures could even under-represent the true number of those living with the condition.