Designing for Dementia
Tub and Shower Rooms
It starts with a welcoming entrance
Once inside, greet the bather with signage that orients them to the space and the activity
Tub Rooms in Hospitals and Long Term Care facilities are designed for efficient and safe function, as they should be. However, the equipment - lifts, extra-sized tubs with hoses and dials - as necessary as they are, can be intimidating and unfamiliar to the patient/resident. Add to this the complication of dementia which often causes a person to be disoriented as to time and location and it is no wonder that many are averse to bath time.
Our mission at Creative Art Co is to make art WORK. In this case multi-task - to calm and soothe the spirit and help orient the resident to the space and task at hand. With this in mind, we have designed a number of "wall wraps" on a durable, laminated (but non-glare) material with imagery that offers the "look and feel" of home.
Among the choices are the Welcome Signs that greet the bather upon entry containing wording such as "Welcome to the Spa". Alongside these, most homes choose flowers and/or decorative shell towel holder to set the mood. Over the bath we suggest one of our bathroom cabinet wraps with other bathroom themed pictures of flowers or seashells to soothe, engage and reassure the bather of his/her location and the activity underway.
As space is usually at a premium, it is a big plus that all this decorative enhancement is achieved without taking up any valuable room and without needing dusting as do many of the physical ornaments and artificial flowers brought in for such a purpose. The wraps however are fully wipe-able.
We will never forget our experience after completing a Tub Room "make-over" for a Long Term Care facility in Burlington, Ontario. As we were packing up to leave, a lady resident was being portered in. Her remark to us made us smile. She said "nice place you have here!" We were gratified to know it was now her “nice place”.
Softening the look of any industrial looking equipment
Offering comforting images in tub and shower rooms for anxious bathers in memory care
