Tag Archives: color theory

After learning about colors as a child, we may take their appearance for granted, unless you are an artist. But colors can take on different meanings for those with dementia, and understanding those changes can be helpful as a dementia caregiver.

I remember seeing the visual impact of dementia in person when visiting my parents. We were in a building with an elevator, and my father took a very large step across the threshold of the elevator, where a black mat was placed. As Linda Slaton Anderson points out in this article published in Today’s Caregiver, “some therapists recommend placing black mats in front of doors or stairs since Alzheimer’s patients perceive them to be holes and thus tend to avoid walking on them.” Clearly, my father experienced that “black hole” visual disruption.

While some changes in processing colors can be frightening for both those with dementia and their caregivers, colors can also be used in positive ways. For example, those with dementia with diminished appetite may benefit from using red dishes on a white tablecloth, due to the higher contrast attracting attention to the food on the plate.

“Colors are processed by our brains more quickly than words,” Anderson notes. As those with dementia lose their language abilities, colors may remain a way to convey feelings and encourage engagement.

Color choice can impact mood, which those with an interest in interior design understand well. This applies to those with dementia as well. Blues and greens can provide a calming, soothing effect, while orange and yellow are cheerful colors that can lift one’s mood.

For caregivers trying to decode or address negative behavior in their loved one with dementia, consider the role color may be playing.

Image created by Microsoft Copilot.