Dementia-ready housing

As people get older, their housing needs often change. This is especially true for those living with dementia. In West Yorkshire, we want to make sure people can stay safe and happy in their own homes for as long as possible. To do this, we are working closely with our partners.

Our Dementia-ready Housing Taskforce focuses on:

Showing why dementia-ready housing and services are needed across West Yorkshire.
Raising awareness and improving understanding of dementia.
Challenging the stigma around dementia.
Working with partners to make sure dementia-friendly features are included when adapting existing homes and when building new ones.

Our Dementia-ready Housing Taskforce brings together:

The five local authorities of West Yorkshire.
The West Yorkshire Housing Partnership.
Third sector organisations, including the Alzheimer’s Society.
Officers from the Combined Authority.

What is dementia-ready housing?

People experience dementia in different ways, but housing design can make daily life easier and safer.

The ten dementia-ready criteria focus on simple, cost-effective features like clear front doors, step-free access, easy-to-find bathrooms and nearby amenities. With support from a dementia champion, these measures promote independence, reduce risks, and create welcoming homes without the need for costly, stigmatising adaptations.

View the dementia-ready housing design criteria

The taskforce groups

Dementia-ready housing champions

Their role is to raise awareness and:

Promote the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends initiative
Put the Dementia-friendly Housing Guide into practice
Work towards dementia-readiness in both existing and new housing by including dementia-friendly design

Dementia-ready advisory group

This group's role is to review the taskforce’s progress and provide expert advice, it includes representatives from:

Local authority housing and care teams
The Government's Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
Homes England
The NHS

The taskforce also links with national networks to raise its profile and build partnerships.

The focus of the taskforce

Influencing housing and care policy

Signposting to resources and support

Gathering data to strengthen evidence and planning

Resources, help and advice

Dementia-ready housing checklist

Everyone experiences dementia differently and the individual’s path to diagnosis can be lengthy. While waiting for a diagnosis or even before seeking one, some common aspects of housing design can lead to difficulties, such as isolation, confusion or a fall.

The ten dementia-ready criteria listed here create an environment that facilitates a more independent, healthy lifestyle and avoids an institutional appearance. If applied at the design stage, they are cost-effective and avoid the need for some adaptations which can be unattractive and stigmatising. These adaptations can also be applied to existing housing at a relatively low cost and disruption.

A front door that is easy to find, day or night – This could be through different coloured front doors or adding other distinctive features such as wall-hung planters. The areas outside doorways are well-lit, so that residents can find their keys, recognise visitors, and see different colours easily.
Step-free access to all doors – Falls are more common for those with dementia. Without a step, people can get outside more easily.
Internal decoration that avoids confusion – Dementia can change perception so bold patterns, stripes and highly contrasting floor tones can be confusing and may appear as holes in the floors or walls or moving objects.
The bathroom is easy to find – Being able to find the toilet easily, especially during the night, helps people to retain independence and dignity.
Bathroom locks aid rescue – Falls in the bathroom are common and being able to get help quickly is vital.  A door that can be unlocked from the outside in an emergency could save a life.
A good level of natural light in all rooms - Exposure to natural light improves wellbeing and can also help to prevent falls.
A view of nature in at least one room – Connection with the natural environment stimulates memory and can slow down the progression of the symptoms of dementia.
Access to an outdoor space that is easy to navigate – Outdoor activity helps the brain process and coordinate. It also promotes a healthy sleep pattern.
Amenities and other homes within 1km – People with dementia are less likely to drive so having amenities close by is important for independence and promoting activity.
An active dementia champion within the housing organisation – The Champion's role is to promote understanding of dementia among their colleagues, residents, and wider community.

Online resources for housing and related service providers

Contacts for support and advice

The Alzheimer’s Society offers a support line, online and print information, expert dementia advisers and online community, providing advice and practical guidance for people living with dementia, their families and carers. Visit the Alzheimer's Society website.
Age UK offers a variety of services for older people and their carers including links to social activities, advice, lifestyle and active connections across West Yorkshire. Visit the Age UK website.
Bradford Council's Housing Options provides free and confidential help with housing and related problems in Bradford.
Bradford Dementia Hub offers information and advice for anyone, of any age, living in Bradford concerned about their memory, living with dementia, and their carers, families and friends
Calderdale Dementia Hub can be contacted by email or on 01422 399833.
Gateway to Care at Calderdale Council provides a first point of contact for adult social care. 
Calderdale Housing Options provides free and confidential help with housing and related problems in Calderdale.
DEEP - the UK Network of Dementia Voices supports people with dementia.
Dementia UK is a specialist dementia nursing charity that provides free support and advice to anyone affected by dementia.
Engage Leeds Dementia Housing Support Workers provide housing-related support to people with Dementia and conditions that result in memory issues such as brain injury and strokes. They can support and assist people to maintain their current tenancy by utilising adaptations, assisted technology or appropriate care packages and also signpost to community networks.
Kirklees Housing Options includes links related to living independently at home.
Kirklees Dementia Hub is a free information and advice service for people living with dementia, their carers, family and friends in Kirklees.
Leeds Housing Options can be contacted by email.
Leeds Older People’s Forum includes information regarding the Friendly Communities project, aimed to make Leeds an age and dementia friendly city.
Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is a collaborative partnership linking 15 local authorities within Yorkshire and the Humber with key wider public health workforce partners in the NHS, Emergency Services and 3rd sector. Provides contact details and links to support offered across Yorkshire and the Humber, aiming to provide a joined-up approach.
Wakefield Housing Options provides general housing-related information for people living in Wakefield and signposting to more personalised guidance.
Wakefield Support with Dementia provides connections to support services, programmes and resources for people living with dementia in Wakefield.
Young Dementia Leeds offers a range of wellbeing, holistic, mutual and peer support for people under 65 who are living with dementia in Leeds.

Definitions of older people’s accommodation

The National Dementia Information Hub

I have been taking my Dementia Champion role very seriously and have so far trained 60 colleagues to be Dementia Friends. This includes explaining what dementia is, how to help people living with dementia, and what we are doing at Connect including as part of the Taskforce. All colleagues have been issued with badges and certificates. It was all relatively easy to do and has already had an impact with colleagues expressing interest in knowing and doing more.

Christine Fox, Dementia Champion and Director of Customer and Community Services

Connect Housing

My contact at Leeds City Council is developing a ‘post diagnosis leaflet’. Previously this didn’t include any reference to housing, however, following our discussion they will include a link to Leeds Housing Options and the Leeds Directory where someone could find more information and support regarding housing.

Juliet Duke, Dementia-ready Housing Taskforce Member and Service Manager

Older People – Extra Care Housing Leeds

We’ve adopted dementia-friendly ‘HAPPI’ design principles in new homes, which include a flexible layout, increased daylight and access to the quality outdoor space. We’ve also introduced assistive technology – for instance 24/7 warden alarm system for peace of mind, which can also be used with a pendant which raises an alarm automatically if a fall is detected.

Helena Doyle, Dementia Champion and Customer Experience Director

Stonewater

Several dementia-friendly guides have been published for proposed older peoples’ housing. There are already some great examples out there, for instance the King’s Fund guide. The unique thing the Taskforce has done is consider and produce dementia-ready criteria for general needs homes, both proposed and existing. This includes quick fixes for existing homes that can be done between tenancies, like changing a lock on a bathroom door, so that someone can open it from the outside in an emergency. Other criteria reflect the importance of community, nature and the outdoors. The Taskforce’s criteria have been developed so that they are clear, relatively easy and cost effective to implement.

Helen Forman, Urban Design Manager

West Yorkshire Combined Authority