Flooring for Patients Suffering From Dementia and Alzheimers

Polyflor flooring creates uplifting dementia care environment at Cwmgelli Lodge, Wales. 

1700m² of Polyflor’s vinyl flooring was recently used to create a fresh and spacious environment at Cwmgelli Lodge care facility in Blackwood, Wales, a flagship facility designed to positively meet the needs of younger people who have been diagnosed with dementia or cognitive impairment.

Wood effect Forest fx PUR sheet vinyl in American Oak was installed throughout the Lodge’s communal areas, circulation spaces, café and dining areas as well as bedrooms by Floor Furnishings Ltd of Cardiff. Polysafe Standard PUR safety flooring was also installed to provide sustainable wet slip resistance for residents in en suite bathrooms.

Increasing the existing provision for younger people living with dementia, Cwmgelli Lodge provides longer term accommodation for residents, featuring 24 self-contained units split over two floors. Designed by the Seren Group, Cwmgelli Lodge was built in consultation with Andrew Wilson Partnership, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and The Alzheimer’s Society Review Panel.

Forest fx’s realistic light wood tones helped to create a refreshing and non-institutional feel that would contribute to reduced anxiety levels for these younger residents, in an environment far removed from a traditional care setting where older people can be housed. Available in 14 shades, the Forest fx collection includes various wood designs with intricate grains and natural colourways to replicate the beauty of real wood in a practical and durable vinyl sheet format suitable for very heavy commercial installations such as healthcare environments. It is also further enhanced with PUR, Polyflor’s exclusive and robust polyurethane reinforcement which is cross-linked and UV cured to provide a low cost, polish-free maintenance regime for the lifetime of the flooring.

Stephen Traves, Project Manager at The Seren Group commented, “With dementia rates across Wales predicted to increase by 31% and by as much as 44% in some rural areas, coupled with increased levels of younger people now receiving a diagnosis, there was a clear need for Cwmgelli to provide a welcoming and modern interior that was a world away from the clinical care environment. The flooring chosen from Polyflor makes a real contribution to the overall space, helping create an airy feel that promotes relaxation and encourages residents to live as independently as possible”.

As a manufacturer of flooring suitable for dementia care facilities, Polyflor UK is a member of local Dementia Action Alliances who are committed to transforming the lives of the 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. Polyflor is also a longstanding partner of the International Dementia Design Network at the University of Salford.

Polyflor has also recently launched a brand new specialist care brochure to present some new dementia-friendly flooring principles developed in collaboration with the University of Salford’s School of the Built Environment. These new principles pinpoint how specifiers can select flooring that is dementia friendly and along with suitable lighting and signage can contribute to less stress and anxiety for people living with the condition.

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