How important are colours in dementia care

When looking at whether colour has an impact on someone with dementia, it is worth noting that there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ colour when it comes to dementia. 

Technically, there is no ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’ colour. It’s human nature to have a preferred colour or colours, and this does not necessarily change with dementia, although colour preferences can change as dementia progresses as does a person’s ability to see colour as clearly. 

Before we go any further, it is worth noting that when discussing the impact of colour on someone with dementia, it is important to look at ‘Contrast’ and ‘Light’. Both these factors play as much as a role in the behaviour of a dementia patient as colour does. 

Which colours?

There is no exact science that states that certain colours impact and alternate mood in any particular way for people with dementia, however, there are reports that certain colours do play a certain role for older people, people with dementia. 

The three main colours are blue, green and red, but again, do not take this as gospel. These colours have certain qualities that can help. 

Blue is seen as a calming colour, it can at times, reduce blood pressure and make rooms appear bigger (lighter blues especially). Blue is a good choice for plates and utensils, as the colour contrasts well with food. 

Red increases brain activity, so if you want to get a dementia patients attention use red. Again, they are good for plates and utensils as they contrast well with food, but they are normally used for items that spell danger and need to be treated carefully.

Green is also a calming colour and signifies life and growth. It also helps to reduce activity in the central nervous system. Lime green is particularly useful with Alzheimer’s for visual attention, so it works well for bathrooms and bedrooms, as well as walking sticks etc. 

As mentioned above, one of the key advantages with colour is the contrast that it can create on surfaces/items/furnishings etc, by using different colours. For example, using coloured edges on furniture to help a dementia patient navigate around a living room or bedroom say. 

Using a colour that contrasts with the background draws attention to things like wall sockets, doors of a bathroom, a toilet seat etc etc. 

You can use strong contrasts to make sure a person with dementia finds where they need to get to, but you can also use softer contrasts to make sure a person with dementia avoids certain areas. For example, painting a door white, with the wall behind it in colour. 

It also helps to incorporate colour into the wardrobe, using the person’s favourite colours for their clothes. It has also been reported that colours such as orange and peach can increase happy feelings. 

Natural thickening of the lens of the eye can lead to colours becoming ‘faded’ or ‘washed out’ to the eye, this impacts pastel colours especially, but will also affect other stronger colours such as blue, purple and green. Keep this in mind as time goes by and the person’s eyesight becomes progressively worse. 

Indeed, it is worth noting that colour preferences of the dementia patient can change over time, often based on sensitivity, and this needs to be managed appropriately.

Again, as mentioned above, ‘light’ can have a big impact on colour and contrast and the person’s reaction to it. It is worth noting that older people, those often over 65, need three times the amount of light that a younger person does, so it’s important to remember to maximise light in the house and in each room, especially the bathroom, bedroom and kitchen. 

Another key piece of advice is to avoid patterns, as this can confuse a person with dementia and in extreme cases can facilitate hallucinations. 

It is also worth avoiding shiny objects, reducing glare where you can, as again this can be distracting and discomforting for people with dementia. It is much better to use matt finishes on surfaces/floors/walls etc.  

To find out more about dementia care and sensory care, see our articles on our knowledge bank here.