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The Dementia Services Development Centre calls on Dulux Trade's Expertise
Dulux Trade has worked closely with the Dementia Services Development Centre, at the University of Stirling, to develop a series of colour ranges that meet the duties of the DDA requirements, which the centre can recommend to those providing care for people with dementia.
The project is part of the centre's new technology suite, a unit that comprises a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, a living area and a kitchen. The suite will act as a 'showhome' for those who are involved in dementia care. It showcases all of the different technology available to enable people with dementia to stay in their own home for as long as possible, or to improve the design of care centres, making residents feel more at home.
Studies show that a significant percentage of people with dementia will also be disadvantaged by a visual impairment, exacerbating feelings of disorientation and confusion. It is therefore critical to also consider how any colour scheme will aid or impede navigation. With particular expertise in this area, Dulux Trade colour consultant, Tiffany Hall, was asked to consult on the project.
To meet the duties of the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) requirements Dulux Trade was asked to develop a range of colour schemes that took into account the need to enhance spatial awareness by contrasting visually adjacent critical surfaces by 30 points difference in LRV (Light Reflectance Value), as given within guidance in the Building Regulations Approved Document Part M.
This substantial LRV difference does limit the colour combinations available, and without the required design skills or expert guidance it can lead to monochromatic, unappealing results. Hence, Dulux Trade was brought on board.
Colm Cunningham, from the Dementia Service Development Centre, headed the project. "There were a number of factors we needed to take into account when pulling together the schemes. Firstly, our experience shows that a person's individual connection with a particular colour is extremely important when assessing how they will react to a new colour scheme - and so a one-solution-fits-all approach would not have worked. We needed Dulux Trade to provide a wide range of colour schemes from which users could then choose the most appropriate base.
"The colour schemes developed will ensure any visual contrast between critical surfaces is sufficient to assist those disadvantaged by a visual impairment. They also aid navigation and identification, for example in one scheme all the bathroom doors are yellow, which will help to build a direct association in the minds of residents.
"We had a long briefing session with Tiffany Hall, providing a full run down of both scientific and anecdotal evidence of how people with both dementia and a visual impairment react to colour. We were delighted with her response, and the range of colour schemes that we can now confidently recommend to our clients."
The particular colour scheme showcased at the technology suite encompasses lilac or pale green walls within the living and communal areas, contrasted with pristine white trim and oak doors. All bathroom doors were finished in a bright yellow, with the bathrooms themselves painted in visually contrasted shades of blue.
The Dementia Services Development Centre, at the University of Stirling, was established in 1989 and exists to improve the understanding of dementia. Located on the University of Stirling's campus, the Centre provides training for those who care for people with dementia including doctors, nurses, social workers and others. The Centre writes and publishes practice guides and training packages, in addition to offering consultancy and an information service about the latest thinking in dementia care. The Centre also carries out research into ways of improving the quality of life for those with dementia and their carers.
Dulux Trade is continuing to work with the centre, to understand still further the affect colour can have on people with dementia.
