Charlotte Lloyd on designing a dementia‑friendly care home

At Exemplar Health Care, we know that the environment someone lives in plays a crucial role in their wellbeing - especially for people living with dementia.

As the number of people with dementia continues to rise, so does the need for care settings that not only meet clinical needs but truly support independence, dignity, and emotional wellbeing. Springfield Vale, our newly designed specialist dementia nursing home in Barnsley, was created to do exactly that.

To explore this further, we sat down with our Commissioning and Operations Development Director, Charlotte Lloyd, to discuss why specialist dementia design matters - and what makes Springfield Vale such an exciting step forward for people with complex dementia needs.

What inspired you to open a dementia specialist nursing home?

We know that the number of people living with dementia in the UK is rising rapidly, with projections reaching 1.6 million by 2040, and that many people now present with increasingly complex cognitive, physical, and behavioural needs.

Standard care environments often aren’t designed to meet this level of complexity - poor layout, unclear signage, excess noise, and visual overstimulation can inadvertently increase distress, confusion, and risk.

Springfield Vale was created to change that.

The home was designed in partnership with the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC), a globally recognised leader in dementia design, to build an evidence-based environment that genuinely supports wellbeing, independence, and safer, more stable long-term placements.

How has the home been designed specifically for people living with dementia?

Every element of Springfield Vale has been shaped around evidence-based dementia design principles. Key features include:

• Small, homely communities of around 11 residents, reducing noise and overstimulation while supporting familiarity and predictability.

• Clear, simple layout with direct sightlines, meaningful landmarks, and logical room placement to reduce confusion, and aid wayfinding.

• Dementia-sensitive signage using icons, strong tonal contrast, and plain language to make navigation easier.

• Colour and contrast design based on Light Reflectance Values (LRVs) to help with depth perception and reduce falls.

• Circadian lighting systems that mimic natural daylight patterns to support sleep, reduce agitation, and promote a healthy day-night rhythm.

• Safe, familiar décor with natural themes, calming tones, and local references.

• Technology-enabled care, including discreet monitoring sensors and silent nurse call systems to reduce intrusive noise.

The result is a home that genuinely works with the way people with dementia perceive and process the world, rather than against it.

Are there any features that help residents feel calm, safe, or oriented?

Yes, Springfield Vale is designed to lower anxiety and improve confidence through multiple integrated features:

• Non-glare, matte flooring and consistent transitions prevent misinterpretation, making spaces feel safer and easier to navigate.

• Recessed, personalised bedroom entrances that help residents recognise their own space.

• Quiet lounges and reflection spaces designed for low-stimulation time when individuals need calm.

• Therapeutic bathrooms, equipped with calming lighting and music options.

• Consistent colour palettes and visual landmarks throughout corridors to help residents orient themselves more confidently.

• Secure, accessible gardens with looped pathways, sensory planting, and safe boundaries that promote freedom and independence without risk.

• Circadian lighting that supports natural rhythms and reduces late-day confusion and agitation.

These design decisions are all rooted in how dementia affects perception, creating an environment that feels predictable, intuitive, and reassuring.

How do you create a “homely” rather than clinical environment?

The design deliberately avoids anything that feels institutional. Instead, Springfield Vale uses:

• Warm, familiar décor, natural textures, and soft furnishings rather than clinical finishes.

• Small domestic-scale communities, each with its own lounge, dining area, and kitchenette so residents feel part of a household rather than a unit.

• Open shelving and visible storage in key areas to support recognition - residents can see everyday items, which helps maintain independence.

• Varied seating styles to evoke a lived-in, personal feel.

• Meaningful artwork and local references that spark connection and familiarity.

• Spa-like bathrooms with mood lighting rather than clinical fixtures.

This approach creates a space that looks, feels, and functions like a home - one where people can relax, belong, and live well.

What are you most excited about as Springfield Vale welcomes its first residents?

We’re most excited to see the impact of the environment on people’s daily lives - because this design isn’t just aesthetic, it’s purposeful.

The evidence shows that well-designed dementia environments can increase independence, reduce distress-related behaviours, support safer mobility, and significantly improve quality of life.

Springfield Vale has been built to do exactly that, and we’re eager to see residents benefit from:

• Greater freedom and confidence thanks to intuitive layouts, calming décor, and safe outdoor access.

• More meaningful engagement through sensory rooms, activity hubs, garden spaces, and homely communal areas.

• Better sleep and emotional stability supported by the circadian lighting system.

• A sense of belonging created through small communities and personalised surroundings.

Most of all, we’re excited for residents and families to feel that Springfield Vale is not just a place to receive care - but a place to live well .