Designing care homes at a glance

Care home residents can have specialist or complex needs such as visual impairment, dementia, autism, learning and physical disability that makes mobility difficult and these needs must also be taken into consideration.

• View shades that run alongside each other in grey-scale to check that they definitely contrast
• Avoid steps or the misperception of steps due to reflection or patterns in general areas that those with dementia, or visual impairment, may negotiate alone
• Ensure the colours of walls, doors, floors and ceilings contrast to demark them unless trying to conceal an entrance, for example, to a service corridor or kitchen
• Ensure the Light Reflectance Value (LRV) of walls, flooring and any other critical surfaces, differs by at least 30 points
• Consider a hygienic, impervious system such as Altro Stronghold and Altro Whiterock Satins, for kitchens
• Remember the staff-only areas should be as homely and look as good as the rest of the care home to create a pleasant and inspiring work environment

Find out more about areas to consider when designing for care home residents by clicking on the plus icons on the image opposite, and to help you choose the right floors and walls for each area of a care home, the Altro Product Selector offers guidance in an instant.