Why care home design is essential, including for people with dementia

In this episode of the Care CEO Success Stories podcast, Ameet Kotecha, founder of Boutique Care Homes, discusses how care home design is vital for quality care provision. Ameet shares insights into his 20 years of experience in designing, developing, and operating care homes. He emphasises the importance of good design in enhancing residents' lives, especially those living with dementia. Ameet discusses design elements such as signs, lighting, colour palettes, and outdoor spaces, highlighting their impact on residents' well-being. He also touches upon the differences in design between residential and dementia care areas, stressing the importance of staff training to meet residents' specific needs. Furthermore, Ameet emphasises the role of ethos and values in care home design, advocating for a warm, loving environment where trust and transparency are vital. On the episode Ameet: •     Explains why good design is essential for person-centred care. •     How to design for people with memory issues, when around 70% of care home residents live with dementia or memory loss. •     Talks through the importance of meaningful outdoor which "add significantly to the quality of residents' lives." •     Reveals the importance of good wayfinding signage. •     Explains the differences in design for dementia vs. residential areas with attention paid to functionality as well as being "visually stunning." •     Explains the importance of  internal colours and how these should be calming which makes a home feel relaxed, not "like an institution." •     Explains how, "It's about trying to make care home spaces as homely as possible while meeting the needs of individuals." •     The importance of focusing on "creating a community, not just a care home," with "a proper, authentic, person-centred care philosophy."