Back in September, we were really lucky to spend the day with volunteers and community groups in Birmingham, exploring how to make community spaces more welcoming and supportive for people living with dementia.

We started by looking at the brain and how changes can affect everyday life, including how someone sees, understands their surroundings and finds their way around. We linked this to the community spaces people visit and how the environment can help someone feel comfortable, confident and able to join in.

We explored lighting, colour contrast, signage and layout, looking at what might make things more difficult and the simple changes that could help. Could someone easily find the toilet? Is it clear where they need to go? Can they see the things they need?

These are things that can be easy to overlook when we know a space well, but can make such a difference to someone visiting.

We also considered how to make spaces calmer and clearer, helping to reduce confusion and frustration while supporting people to do as much as possible for themselves. It doesn’t always need to involve a big budget – small, thoughtful changes can help people feel more welcome and continue enjoying their local groups and community activities.