A dark doormat that looks like a hole in the floor. A patterned carpet that appears uneven. A chair that becomes difficult to recognise or move around.

These are just some of the ways dementia can change how people experience their surroundings, even within homes they’ve lived in for decades.

As the condition affects how the brain processes visual information, judging depth and distance – and recognising everyday objects – becomes increasingly difficult and hazardous.

Today, an estimated 83,000 New Zealanders live with dementia – a figure projected to nearly double by 2050 – with the vast majority remaining in their own homes.

Despite growing awareness and gradual improvements in building retrofit programmes, most New Zealand homes aren’t designed for their needs.

In making homes safer, our research at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research suggests that basic design choices can make a meaningful difference.

Our new practical guidance includes changes as simple as choosing the right flooring........

© The Conversation