Common Signage Mistakes in Care Homes & How to Fix Them
Even well-intentioned signage can fail if common design and installation mistakes are made. This guide identifies the most frequent errors we see in care homes and provides practical, affordable solutions for each one.
Over many years of working with care homes across the UK and Ireland, we have seen the same signage mistakes repeated in facility after facility. These are not signs of negligence -- they are the result of well-meaning decisions made without the benefit of dementia design expertise. The good news is that every one of these mistakes is fixable, often quickly and affordably. Recognising the problem is the first step toward a solution.
Mistake 1: Insufficient Colour Contrast#
The most common mistake is choosing sign colours that complement the decor but provide insufficient contrast for residents with dementia. A pastel sign on a pastel wall may look elegant, but to a person with reduced contrast sensitivity, both surfaces merge into an indistinguishable blur. The fix is straightforward: choose signs with a minimum 30-point LRV difference from the wall, prioritising visibility over aesthetic coordination. Our white acrylic signs provide excellent contrast against most wall colours.
Mistake 2: Inconsistent Sign Heights#
Signs mounted at different heights throughout a building create a fragmented visual language. Residents learn to look for signs at a consistent location; when signs appear at random heights, they are harder to find. The fix: standardise all sign centre heights at 1.4 to 1.5 metres and use a measuring gauge to ensure consistency.
The ten most common signage mistakes in care homes:
- Insufficient colour contrast between sign and wall
- Inconsistent mounting heights throughout the building
- Abstract or stylised icons instead of realistic imagery
- Text too small or in decorative fonts that are hard to read
- Signs on the hinge side of the door instead of the handle side
- No projecting signs in long corridors, making rooms invisible until you are beside them
- No directional signs at junctions, forcing residents to guess which way to turn
- A patchwork of different sign styles accumulated over years
- Signs mounted too high for wheelchair users to see comfortably
- No toilet signage visible from communal rooms where residents spend most of their time
Mistake 3: Abstract Icons#
Many care homes use signs with abstract or stylised icons -- a simple line drawing of a person to indicate a toilet, or a geometric plate shape for the dining room. Research conducted by the DSDC demonstrates conclusively that people with dementia recognise realistic photographic or 3D-rendered images far more accurately than abstract icons. The fix: replace abstract icons with signs featuring realistic imagery. Our textured 3D-printed signs depict recognisable, realistic images of toilets, showers, beds, and dining settings.
Pro Tip
Conduct a simple test: show your current signs to three residents and ask them what room the sign indicates. If they cannot identify the room correctly from the sign alone, the sign is not working and needs to be replaced with a more effective design.
Mistake 4: The Patchwork Problem#
Over years, care homes accumulate signs from different suppliers, installed at different times, in different styles. This patchwork creates visual chaos: each sign looks different, and residents cannot build a consistent mental model of what signs look like in this building. The fix: replace all signs with a single, consistent, DSDC 1A-accredited range. This is the single most impactful improvement most care homes can make, and the cost is far less than the ongoing cost of the problems that inconsistent signage causes.
The most effective signage upgrade is often not adding more signs but replacing inconsistent ones. A unified system of 50 well-designed signs will outperform 100 signs in ten different styles. Consistency is the foundation of effective wayfinding.
Recommended Products
Our complete range of DSDC 1A-accredited signs provides a unified visual language for your entire care home. Every sign uses the same design principles: 5mm solid white acrylic, textured 3D print, high-contrast colour schemes, and optional Braille. Order a free sample to start planning your upgrade.
Every mistake on this list has a straightforward fix. Most can be addressed in a single procurement cycle, and the combined impact of fixing all ten is transformative. If your care home's signage falls into any of these traps, the path to improvement is clear, affordable, and backed by evidence.
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