Making Your Home Safe for Someone With Dementia: A Room by Room Guide for Families
You probably know this home better than anywhere else on earth. You know which drawer sticks. You know the step at the bottom of the stairs is slightly higher than the others. You know the kettle sounds different when it has not been filled properly.
Your loved one has known this home for years too. But dementia changes how a familiar home is experienced. The kitchen they have cooked in for thirty years can become confusing and dangerous. The hallway they have walked down thousands of times can become a fall risk at night. The bathroom, one of the most private and personal spaces in the home, can become one of the most hazardous.
Making a home safe for someone with dementia does not mean turning it into a clinical environment. It means making thoughtful adjustments that reduce risk while preserving the familiarity and comfort that make staying at home possible and that make home the best possible place for a person with dementia to be.
This guide takes you through the home room by room, covering what to look for, what to change and what not to change. It also covers fire safety, medication safety, funding for home adaptations and the role of a professional carer in keeping your loved one safe day to day.
Before You Start: The Most Important Principle
The Alzheimer’s Society and Age UK both confirm the same starting point: do not make too many changes at once.
For a person with dementia the familiar layout of their home is not just comfortable, it is a cognitive anchor. The brain with dementia navigates a known environment using deeply embedded memory. When that environment changes significantly and quickly those embedded memories no longer match what is there. The result is increased confusion, anxiety and disorientation.
This means that making a home safer for someone with dementia requires a particular kind of care. Changes need to be practical and necessary. They need to be introduced gradually rather than all at once. And wherever possible the person with dementia should be involved in the process, not presented with a home that has been rearranged without them.
Age UK recommends focusing on one or two changes at a time and taking the person’s own likes, dislikes and preferences into account throughout. Make changes sooner rather than later. Earlier changes give more time for adjustment before the condition progresses further.
How Dementia Changes How a Person Experiences Their Home
Understanding what dementia does to perception helps families make better decisions about what to change and why.
Dementia can affect depth perception, making it difficult to judge whether a surface is level, whether a step is there or whether a floor is wet.
A dark doormat can appear to be a hole in the floor. A shiny floor can appear wet. A patterned carpet can appear to be moving.
Dementia can affect colour perception, making it harder to distinguish between objects and surfaces of similar colour. A white toilet against white tiles is difficult to locate. A plate of food on a white plate against a white tablecloth can be hard to see clearly.
Dementia can affect the ability to interpret the purpose of objects, meaning a person may not recognise what a tap is for, may not understand which way to turn it or may not be able to tell whether water is dangerously hot.
The NHS confirms that good lighting, clear visual cues and thoughtful design can significantly reduce confusion and the risk of falls for people with dementia at home.
These principles, lighting, contrast, clarity and familiarity, run through every room by room recommendation below.
Room by Room: Making Each Space Safer
The Hallway and Entrance
The hallway is often the first and last space a person passes through, and one of the highest risk areas for falls.
Ensure the hallway is well lit at all times. A motion sensor light activates automatically when someone enters so they do not need to remember to find a switch in the dark.
Remove loose rugs or mats. These are one of the most common fall hazards for elderly people and particularly dangerous for someone whose depth perception has changed.
Keep the hallway clear of clutter. Walking aids, bags, shoes, anything that narrows the walking route or creates an obstacle should be removed or stored.
Dementia UK recommends avoiding significant changes to the exterior of the home, such as changing the door colour or removing familiar garden features, as these help the person with dementia recognise their own home and reduce confusion when returning from outside.
Consider a camera doorbell. This allows family members to monitor who is coming and going and receive alerts to their smartphone. The Alzheimer’s Society notes that people with dementia can be vulnerable to scams and fraud when answering the door to strangers. A video doorbell with a chain and peephole means your loved one can see and speak to a visitor without opening the door fully.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is the most complex and potentially hazardous room in the home for someone with dementia. It contains heat sources, sharp implements, toxic cleaning products and a level of sensory and cognitive complexity that increases significantly as the condition progresses.
Dementia UK recommends a series of specific adaptations.
Keep frequently used items, mugs, tea, coffee, spoons, on the worktop where they are visible without opening cupboards. Searching through cupboards when you cannot remember what you are looking for increases confusion and frustration.
Replace solid cupboard doors with clear doors so contents are visible. If this is not possible stick a simple label or photograph of the contents to the door.
Label hot and cold taps clearly with waterproof labels or replace taps with ones marked hot and cold. A person with dementia may not be able to tell which way to turn a tap or judge water temperature reliably. Consider installing a thermostatic mixer valve that prevents the water temperature from reaching scalding levels.
Store cleaning products, bleaches and other toxic substances in a locked cupboard below the sink or away from food storage areas entirely. Dementia can affect the ability to identify substances by appearance.
If your loved one uses the hob check whether an automatic hob cut-off device is appropriate. These devices cut power to the hob if it is left on after a set period without activity. They are available through occupational therapists and assistive technology suppliers.
The Bathroom
Falls in the bathroom are one of the most common causes of serious injury in elderly people, and the risk is significantly increased for someone with dementia.
Install grab rails beside the toilet and in the bath or shower. These provide stability when getting up and down and significantly reduce fall risk. Grab rails under £1,000 should be funded by the local council under the Disabled Facilities Grant assessment process, speak to your local council’s occupational therapy team.
Use contrasting colours where possible. A white toilet against white tiles is difficult to locate for someone with impaired colour perception. A brightly coloured toilet seat, red, blue or another contrasting colour, makes the toilet immediately visible. The same principle applies to hand rails, towels and other bathroom items.
Place a non-slip mat in the shower or bath and on the bathroom floor. Wet surfaces are the primary fall risk in the bathroom.
Label hot and cold taps clearly, the same principle as the kitchen. Consider thermostatic mixing valves to prevent scalding.
Remove the lock from the inside of the bathroom door or replace it with one that can be opened from the outside. A person with dementia who locks themselves inside a bathroom and cannot remember how to unlock the door is at serious risk.
Keep the bathroom well lit with a motion sensor light. Many bathroom falls happen when a person gets up in the night and walks to the bathroom in the dark without turning a light on.
The Living Room
The living room is usually the most familiar and comfortable space in the home, and with careful management it can stay that way.
Arrange furniture to create clear, wide pathways. The route from the sofa to the door, to the toilet, to the kitchen should be unobstructed. Move any furniture that narrows these routes.
Remove or secure loose rugs. On wooden or tiled floors rugs slide. On any floor surface they create a trip hazard.
Ensure the room is well lit. The Alzheimer’s Society recommends checking that natural light can enter the room freely and using additional lamps in darker areas.
Avoid heavily patterned carpets, cushions or wallpaper. Strong patterns can appear to move or create visual confusion for someone with altered perception. Plain colours with clear contrast between surfaces are easier for the brain with dementia to process.
Consider a recliner chair with a rise and recline function if getting up from a seated position has become difficult. This reduces the risk of falls when rising and significantly increases independence and dignity.
The Bedroom
The bedroom needs to support safe movement at night, the highest risk period for falls.
Place a motion sensor night light that activates when your loved one gets out of bed and illuminates the path to the bathroom. This single measure reduces a significant proportion of nighttime falls.
Ensure the path from the bed to the bedroom door and from the bedroom door to the bathroom is completely clear. Remove any furniture, items of clothing or obstacles from these routes.
Consider a bed rail on one side of the bed to provide support when getting in and out. Bed rails are available through occupational therapists and assistive technology suppliers.
Keep familiar objects visible, family photographs, a favourite ornament, a familiar clock, these anchor the person to the space and reduce disorientation on waking.
The NHS recommends ensuring the bedroom is dark enough at night to support good sleep, while the path to the bathroom is illuminated automatically when needed.
Stairs and Flooring
Stairs are one of the highest risk areas in the home for anyone with mobility or cognitive changes.
Mark the edge of each step with contrasting paint or anti-slip tape. Age UK confirms this helps people with dementia judge the depth and presence of steps.
Ensure the tape is firmly adhered and check it regularly.
Ensure stair handrails are secure and run the full length of the stairs on both sides where possible.
Consider whether a stairlift is appropriate if going up and down stairs has become difficult or risky. Stairlifts may be eligible for funding through the Disabled Facilities Grant, see the funding section below.
Across all flooring: use similar flooring types between rooms where possible. The Alzheimer’s Society notes that the threshold between different flooring types can look like a step or an obstacle to someone with altered depth perception. Dark doormats can appear to be holes. Shiny floors can appear wet. Both increase fall risk significantly.
Fire Safety: The Risk Most Families Do Not Think About Until Too Late
The London Fire Brigade has confirmed that over a third of people who die in dwelling fires in London receive some form of care, either formal or informal.
Dementia significantly increases fire risk because it affects the ability to recognise danger, respond to alarms and take safe action in an emergency.
Ensure working smoke alarms are fitted on every floor and tested regularly. Consider heat alarms in the kitchen where smoke alarms can trigger falsely. Carbon monoxide detectors are essential in any home with gas appliances.
If your loved one uses the hob unsupervised consider an automatic hob cut-off device. If this is not possible consider whether unsupervised kitchen use is still safe.
Keep lighters, matches and candles out of reach and out of sight.
Ensure your loved one knows how to call for help. A personal alarm worn as a pendant or wristband means they can summon help if they fall, feel unwell or cannot get out of a room.
Contact your local fire service for a free Safe and Well visit. The London Fire Brigade and fire services across England offer free home visits to assess fire risks and fit smoke alarms for vulnerable people.
Medication Safety at Home
Medication errors are a serious risk for people with dementia at home, both taking too much of a medication and forgetting to take it at all.
Store all medications in a locked box or cabinet away from food storage areas. A person with dementia may not be able to identify tablets by sight and may take incorrect medications.
Use a clearly labelled pill organiser with compartments for each day and time of day. These significantly reduce the risk of missed or doubled doses.
Consider a medication dispenser with an alarm that prompts at the right time and releases only the correct dose. These devices are available through pharmacies and assistive technology suppliers.
Remove outdated or unused medications from the home entirely. Do not leave them in a drawer or cabinet, take them to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
If your loved one’s medication regime is complex or if there are concerns about compliance speak to their GP. A domiciliary pharmacist can visit the home and conduct a medication review.
Funding for Home Adaptations
Many families do not know that financial support is available for making a home safer for someone with dementia.
The Disabled Facilities Grant is available from your local council and can fund adaptations such as grab rails, stairlifts, widened doorways, accessible bathrooms and other modifications.
For adaptations costing under £1,000, such as grab rails or motion sensor lights, Dementia UK confirms these should normally be funded by the local council without a full grant assessment.
An occupational therapist assessment is the gateway to most of this support. You can request a referral through your loved one’s GP or directly through your local council. The assessment is free and will identify which adaptations are needed, which the council should fund and which may need alternative funding routes.
Age UK recommends seeking further advice from an occupational therapist or arranging a care needs assessment with your local council as early as possible, before a crisis makes urgency the driver of decisions.
How a Professional Carer Helps Keep the Home Safe Day to Day
A home safety assessment at a single point in time captures what the home looks like that day. A professional carer who visits regularly sees the home as it actually is, day to day, week to week, as your loved one’s needs and behaviours change.
A trained dementia carer notices when something has shifted. When a rug has moved and is now a trip hazard. When a cleaning product has been moved to an accessible shelf. When your loved one is struggling to manage the kettle safely. When the medication that was in the dispenser yesterday is still there today.
This ongoing professional presence, built around a consistent, familiar carer who knows your loved one and their home, is one of the most effective forms of day to day safety monitoring available. It does not replace home adaptations. It works alongside them.
To learn more about professional dementia care at home and how a trained carer can support your loved one’s safety and independence visit our dementia care at home page.
For more practical guidance on supporting a loved one with dementia at home visit our dementia care advice hub.
Professional Review and Clinical Guidance
This guide has been reviewed by Daniel Johnson, Registered Care Manager, dementia specialist and psychologist at NeeryVille Care, a Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulated home care provider supporting individuals across England with live-in care, dementia care and elderly care at home.
Daniel has more than 12 years of experience working in the health and social care sector, supporting individuals living with dementia at every stage of the condition. His background includes working directly with occupational therapists and local authority teams to ensure home environments are adapted appropriately for people with dementia, and training carers to identify and communicate safety concerns as they arise in the course of daily care visits.
“Families often focus on the big adaptations, stairlifts, wet rooms, grab rails, and miss the smaller risks that are just as likely to cause harm. A dark doormat at the bottom of the stairs. A rug that has slipped slightly. Cleaning products moved to an accessible shelf. These are the things a regular professional presence notices and addresses before they become an incident. Home safety in dementia is not a one time assessment. It is an ongoing conversation between the family, the carer and the home itself.”
Daniel Johnson, Registered Care Manager, NeeryVille Care
The information in this guide aligns with recognised guidance from the NHS, the Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia UK, Age UK and the London Fire Brigade.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make my home safe for someone with dementia?
Start with a room by room assessment looking for fall risks, lighting gaps, hazardous substances and navigation challenges. Key priorities are removing loose rugs, improving lighting throughout the home including motion sensor lights in hallways and bathrooms, labelling hot and cold taps, securing medications and cleaning products, and installing grab rails in the bathroom. Request a free home assessment from your local council’s occupational therapy team for professional guidance and access to funding.
What is a dementia friendly home?
A dementia friendly home is one that supports the safety, independence and wellbeing of a person living with dementia through thoughtful adaptations that reduce confusion and fall risk while preserving familiarity and comfort. Key features include good lighting, clear colour contrast between surfaces and objects, uncluttered walkways, secure storage for hazardous substances, clear labelling and familiar objects that help the person orientate themselves in their own space.
Should I make lots of changes to the home at once?
No. Age UK and the Alzheimer’s Society both advise against making too many changes at once. For a person with dementia familiar surroundings are a cognitive anchor, changes to the environment can increase confusion and distress. Make necessary changes gradually, focus on one or two at a time, and involve the person with dementia in decisions where possible.
What funding is available for home adaptations for dementia?
The Disabled Facilities Grant from your local council can fund significant adaptations such as stairlifts, wet rooms and widened doorways. Smaller adaptations costing under £1,000 such as grab rails should normally be funded directly by the local council. An occupational therapist assessment, available free through your GP or local council, is the starting point for accessing this support.
What are the biggest fall risks at home for someone with dementia?
The highest fall risks are loose rugs on any floor surface, poor lighting particularly at night, wet bathroom floors, unmarked step edges, cluttered walkways and dark or highly patterned flooring that is difficult to read visually. Motion sensor night lights, non-slip mats, anti-slip tape on step edges and clear pathways through the home are the most effective basic measures.
How can I make the bathroom safer for someone with dementia?
Install grab rails beside the toilet and in the bath or shower. Use a non-slip mat. Ensure good lighting with a motion sensor that activates automatically at night. Label hot and cold taps clearly and consider thermostatic mixing valves to prevent scalding. Use contrasting colours for the toilet seat and towels to make them easy to locate. Remove the interior lock from the bathroom door or replace it with one that can be opened from outside.
Is fire safety a risk for people with dementia at home?
Yes, significantly so. The London Fire Brigade has confirmed that over a third of people who die in dwelling fires receive some form of care. Dementia affects the ability to recognise danger, respond to alarms and take safe action. Ensure working smoke alarms on every floor, consider an automatic hob cut-off device, keep lighters and matches out of reach and contact your local fire service for a free Safe and Well home visit.