What People Forget

We are proud to partner with Juliet Holt Klinger—renowned gerontologist, dementia care expert, and founder of Dementia Outfitters—to reimagine what memory care can be. Together, we are advancing a new standard of human-centered environments where design and care are seamlessly integrated. Our shared mission to transform the paradigm of elder care in this country is rooted in empathy, dignity, and a deep respect for the lived experience of aging. As part of our collaboration, Juliet has authored a guest blog for StudioSIX5, offering her unique perspective on how thoughtful environments can empower care partners and enrich the lives of those living with dementia.

The Specialized Environment:
An Important Ingredient in Getting Memory Care Right

When we think about supporting residents living with dementia, our minds often turn to staffing, medications, and monitoring for safety. But one of the most powerful tools in enhancing quality of life for residents with dementia is a well-planned and supportive environment. Well-designed and intentionally built spaces are not just backdrops for care; they are active ingredients in the treatment of dementia. The right environment can reduce distress, increase independence with activities of daily living, and transform a care setting from institutional to inspirational.

Dementia affects how people perceive the meaning of a space, light, noise, and how they interpret visual cues. The environment can either confuse and frustrate—or it can soothe, orient, and empower. Research and real-world outcomes have shown that person-centered design can reduce challenging symptoms, support daily functioning, and improve well-being for residents and their care partners alike.

Take, for example, a hallway. In a traditional assisted living or long term care setting, it may be long, non-descript, and a repeated pattern of sameness. But in a well-designed memory care community, that same hallway might become a clearly marked, well-lit walking path with resting spots, landmarks with visual interest, and several meaningful destinations that provide purposeful interactions, encouraging movement, reducing fall risk, and helping residents self-navigate with confidence. The environment becomes a therapeutic intervention in the management of the symptoms of dementia.

 A well-planned memory care environment can directly reduce common dementia-related symptoms:

• Wandering: Engaging, walkable spaces decrease exit-seeking behaviors.
• Agitation: Calming color palettes, acoustical control, and natural lighting can reduce overstimulation and give cues to relax.
• Disorientation: Clear signage, familiar objects, and distinct visual cues support orientation and autonomy.
• Social isolation: Inviting, smaller-scale communal spaces foster casual interaction and connection.

At the core of person-centered design is the idea that residents should be supported to live their lives as fully and independently as possible. That means creating spaces where the environment supports—not inhibits—the tasks of daily living.

Impactful Programmatic Spaces

A few examples of programmatic spaces that make a difference:

Walkable, Safe Outdoor Pathways
Outdoor space is not just a nice-to-have; it’s a critical health resource. Access to nature has been shown to reduce stress and improve sleep and appetite in people with dementia. Safe, looped walking paths with smooth transitions, shade, seating opportunities, and engaging garden elements allow residents to move freely and experience the natural world around them—without exit risk.

Useable, Safe Kitchens
Rather than locking down kitchens entirely, many innovative communities are integrating household kitchens that are adapted for safety. Residents can bake bread, wash fruit, or help set the table—simple acts that create dignity, connection, and a sense of home.

Workshops, Art Rooms, and Programmatic Spaces
Hands-on activity is deeply grounding and when offered in spaces that are safely adapted to dementia, it helps to build self-esteem and support independent use. Whether it’s sanding a piece of wood in a workshop space, sorting hardware, or painting in a dedicated art studio, residents thrive when they have real tasks and meaningful outlets for their creativity. These spaces are also excellent for reducing boredom and anxiety, which often manifest as behavioral symptoms.

Intentional Design
When you design with intention, you’re not just building or converting a space to a more profitable memory care product line—you’re advocating for the specialized support and agency of people living with dementia. You’re signaling that their environment should reflect their identity, their past experiences, and their right to thrive in the present.

Whether you’re developing a brand-new memory care community or updating an existing one, it’s never too early—or too late—to make the environment work for your residents instead of against them.

Let’s Collaborate

Need help designing a dementia-supportive environment? Through this partnership, Dementia Outfitters provides consulting services grounded in research, empathy, and decades of hands-on experience in dementia care innovation. Contact Dementia Outfitters to learn more.

StudioSIX5 brings award-winning expertise in human-centered design to create environments that support dignity, autonomy, and connection. Together, we deliver holistic solutions for memory care communities—from concept to completion.