Colour Psychology in Dementia Care Environments
Colour does more than create contrast in dementia care -- it influences mood, behaviour, appetite, and orientation. This article explores the psychology of colour in care environments and provides evidence-based guidance for colour selection across different room types.
Colour in dementia care environments serves a dual function: it creates the contrast necessary for wayfinding, and it influences the psychological state of residents. Research in environmental psychology demonstrates that colour affects mood, arousal levels, appetite, and even perceptions of temperature. For people with dementia, whose ability to regulate emotional responses may be diminished, the colours surrounding them have a measurable impact on wellbeing. Understanding colour psychology enables care homes to create environments that are not only navigable but genuinely therapeutic.
Warm vs Cool Colours: Behavioural Effects#
Warm colours (reds, oranges, yellows) are generally stimulating. They increase heart rate, raise perceived room temperature, and promote social interaction. Cool colours (blues, greens, purples) are calming, reducing agitation and creating a sense of spaciousness. In dementia care, this distinction has practical applications. Dining rooms benefit from warm colour accents that stimulate appetite and social engagement. Bedrooms and quiet lounges benefit from cool, restful palettes that promote relaxation and sleep readiness. Bathrooms are most effective with mid-tone colours that are neither overly stimulating nor so muted that fixtures become hard to distinguish.
Evidence-based colour recommendations by room type:
- Dining rooms: Warm accents (red, orange, warm yellow) to stimulate appetite -- research shows red tableware increases food intake by up to 24% in dementia patients
- Bedrooms: Cool, soft tones (pale blue, soft green, lavender) to promote calm and support circadian rhythm
- Bathrooms: Mid-tone contrast colours to define fixtures (toilet, basin, grab rails) against walls and floor
- Lounges: Varied palette with distinct zones -- a warm social area and a cooler quiet corner
- Corridors: Neutral walls with high-contrast signage to aid orientation without over-stimulation
- Entrances: Welcoming, warm tones that create a sense of home rather than institution
Colours to Avoid in Dementia Care#
Certain colour choices create specific problems for people with dementia. Very dark floor colours, particularly shiny dark floors, can appear as voids or water, causing residents to freeze or refuse to walk forward. High-contrast geometric patterns on floors or walls can appear three-dimensional, causing visual confusion and falls. Very bright white walls create glare under fluorescent lighting and reduce the visibility of light-coloured signage. Black door mats or threshold strips can appear as holes. The DSDC recommends avoiding these patterns and ensuring smooth colour transitions between adjacent surfaces.
Pro Tip
When selecting wall colours for areas where signs will be mounted, choose colours with an LRV between 40 and 70. This mid-range provides sufficient contrast with both light-background signs (white acrylic, LRV ~85) and ensures the wall is not so dark that the corridor feels oppressive.
A study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that care homes with carefully considered colour schemes reported 19% fewer agitation incidents compared to those with institutional grey or beige palettes. Colour is not merely decorative -- it is an evidence-based intervention.
Recommended Products
Our signs are available in a range of carefully chosen colour schemes that complement evidence-based room palettes. From calming blues for bedrooms to warm oak tones for dining areas, each colour option maintains DSDC 1A contrast requirements.
Colour psychology is not a luxury consideration in dementia care -- it is a practical, evidence-based tool for improving resident wellbeing. When sign colours are selected to complement the psychological function of each room, the entire environment works together to support orientation, mood regulation, and quality of life.
Related Articles
Colour & Contrast in Dementia-Friendly Design
Dementia reduces contrast sensitivity, making it harder to distinguish between similar colours. This guide explains Light Reflectance Values (LRV), recommended contrast ratios, and how to choose sign colours that remain visible to residents with advancing dementia.
Choosing the Right Sign Colour for Your Care Home
The right sign colour depends on your wall colours, lighting conditions, and design preferences -- but contrast always comes first. This guide helps you choose a colour scheme that looks great and meets DSDC accessibility standards.
Understanding Contrast Ratios & LRV for Dementia-Friendly Design
Light Reflectance Value (LRV) is the objective measure behind dementia-friendly contrast. This technical guide explains how LRV is measured, what contrast ratios the DSDC recommends, how to calculate LRV differences, and how to verify contrast performance in your care home.
The Science Behind Dementia-Friendly Design
Dementia-friendly design is not guesswork. It is grounded in decades of cognitive science research exploring how dementia affects spatial navigation, memory retrieval, and visual processing. Understanding the science explains why high-contrast icons, consistent placement, and familiar imagery are so effective.