Key Learning outcomes
- Continuous flooring surface.
- Differentiating between flooring and critical surfaces.
- Acoustics – reducing impact sound.
- Avoiding sensory overload.
- Health & Safety credentials.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are currently 850,000 people with dementia in the UK – a figure set to rise to over a million by 2025 and double that by 2051. One in 14 people over 65 will develop dementia, and the condition affects one in six people over 80.
Dementia is classified as “different brain disorders that trigger a loss of brain function”. These conditions are all usually progressive and eventually severe. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, while symptoms include memory loss, confusion and problems with speech and understanding.
Given these symptoms, it is important that dementia patients are looked after in environments that maintain or improve their quality of life, as well as aid their health and wellbeing. Residential care homes and assisted living facilities, for example, need to be suitably equipped with the appropriate facilities to ensure dementia patients feel comfortable and safe in their surroundings. This not only applies to lighting, signage and appliances, but also to fundamental elements of interior design, including walls – and flooring.
This CPD article will focus on the key factors to consider when specifying and designing luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring for use with people with dementia.
[ref. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/news-and-media/facts-media