Protect & Delight your Aged Care & Dementia Residents with Wall Murals
Environmental design that cares for our aged
No need to re-decorate. Our custom designed and hand painted wall murals will save you time and money by jointly addressing and solving interior decor issues and residents’ behaviouralisms. Resident empathy, especially in dementia facilities, has created an indepth understanding of dementia exits, orientation and wayfinding techniques through cues, colours and themes.
Dementia exit doors and soothing residents’ stress – The most distressing zones in dementia facilities are the exit doors. Concealing dementia doors so that the residents can no longer perceive them, soothes their distress.
Believable and interactive spaces are inevitable when your existing architecture defines the scene. Your customised wall mural design will be filled with cues: cultural objects, reading opportunities and pastime activities that your residents can relate to. These cues will be relevant to your area, brand and demographic, and will tactfully encourage your residents to reminisce, then happily move on without dithering behind the doors.
Depicting familiar seaside, country or landmarks in your dementia exit mural will place your residents with dementia there but, through painted barricades, suggest they can’t go there.
The science behind the results of our wall murals for dementia. Tailored Artworks uses dementia specific visual spatial research on colour and shape perception to dictate the mural’s luminescence and contrast so that your residents can see the scene and act on its cues. Much of this research has been shared with us by Aged Care organisations.
Customised wall murals process– After briefing at Art and Decor Planning Session, Sharron Tancred will thumbnail sketch your mural’s idea, including corporate branding if required. Designing a wall mural for you is easily achieved long distance given photos and measurements. The idea confirmed, you will receive a firm quote and an artwork and colour psychology report.
See your customised wall mural for aged care or dementia digitally applied to your space– Once your wall mural’s design and quote are approved, and a deposit received, we proceed to the formal design and research stage and create a full-colour digital design, fitted to your space for final approval.
The mural installation process- Being the most time efficient method, your mural is projected onto your wall. We seek approvals from you at styling, half way and final painting stages. Two protective coats of low-VOC varnish for easy cleaning may be applied. Final photos are supplied to you for your marketing to help you demonstrate your holistic point of difference to new clients.
Our Aged Care and Dementia client list- Queensland Health, Spiritus Aged Care, McKenzie Aged Care, Blue Care, BUPA, IRT Aged Care and RSL Care have all worked with us.
Call us today on 07 3491 6400 if you have any questions.
Latest Art Commissions
>> Blue Care Kenmore – Murals for dementia that enhance the space
Client brief: Mural A) Turn the outside exit into “something else”, so residents no longer see the door. Mural B) Transform the inner hall into a cosy seating nook. Blue Care Kenmore manager, Cassie, wanted the Sharron’s Blue Care Rothwell fireplace, but with different memory cues, a real clock and, something for the adjoining wall.
Our strategy: Mural A) Inspired by the spaces gum trees, country styled gardens and architecture; Sharron designed tree trunks to conceal the door’s lines, handle, and keypad where frustrated residents try to escape. A country themed perspective leads the eye out to horse riders, their homestead, and the Glass House Mountains while a sharp, white picket fence, hides the door’s horizontal lines and suggests to the resident; I can see there, but not go there. To encourage them to move away from the danger spot of the inward swinging fire door, Sharron placed a fearful crowing rooster but balanced this menace by a “come and pat me” Blue Cattle Dog, leading them to the safer corner. Still, we do not want residents lingering at the door, so a goanna up a tree, with long talons clearly visible, says back away now. The mural and real space are combined through painted bark at the murals’ base which matches the actual gardens bark and hides the door’s gap.
Our strategy: Mural B) A ‘Rustic Chinoiserie Garden’ theme set the stage for cultural and homely memory cues, a point of difference and a bold colour palette to assist wayfinding. Persons with dementia will perceive red and blue as darker than other hues while yellow is evident to them, so Sharron kept the colours vibrant. Embodying this is a striking, hand painted wallpaper pattern of vine and bird, positioned above a faux dado rail, to keep the handrail visible and relevant and contrast chairs, flooring and fireplace’s warm red background. Books with classic titles on the fireplace mantel provided reading cues, while the butterfly lamp, natural timber fireplace tools set and rustic wooden coal basket created talking points without losing a homely, familiar feel.
Our results: The fiddling at the outside exit door stopped and for the interior mural, “We have had some lovely comments from residents, staff and visitors of how much it has changed the whole atmosphere and makes the place much cosier and homelike. One staff member has on three occasions went to put flowers on the mantle piece it looks so real! Carmel has claimed the chair by the fireplace as hers and can always be found reading b the fire in Carmel’s Corner.”
>> Blue Care Rothwell – 3 Murals that create theme & style
The brief: Create A) two murals for dementia in a country style to conceal the main and kitchen exits and B) a beach themed mural to add colour and space to our community café.
Our strategy: A) Murals for dementia are all about the door architecture and overall style of the home which has been established here as Queenslander by painting VJ walls, skirts and dado rails. The main exit mural features stained glass window panels painted on perspex, reinforcing to the resident that this is a win w while still allowing light in. The resident is encouraged away from the door to the fireplace by the toy collection and the curious dog, where their curiosity is peeked to enter cubby house and have quiet time.
The kitchen mural’s colours are high in contrast to ensure that even to the weakest of eyes can perceive and understand the new architecture which turns the kitchen door into a wall and window. Blue Care can hang feaux deli items above the roller door and plastic water jug and glasses for effect.
Strategy: B) The beach themed café mural painted by Sharron in 3 days certainly meets the above brief but goes further to turn the hall’s mirror into a street lamp!
The results – Sharron provided Blue Care Rothwell with décor tips for all three areas to increase the murals effectiveness. TA Interior Designer, Carmel Reggi from Touches Interiors, is completing these ideas for the dining with her expertise to choose wallpaper, upholstery fabrics and window treatments. Here, our goal is to convince Blue Care’s new clients of their state-of-the-art environmental design, that caters completely to their loved one’s well-being.
>> Regis Aged Care Group: Brighton & Armadale Victoria, Kuluin & Wellington Point, Brisbane
The brief: Paint six murals for Regis’ Dementia units in both Brisbane and Melbourne to increase morale and reduce the problem of resident stress and safety issues relevant to their lingering behind doors.
The strategy: Colour psychology here infuses a feeling of optimism and freshness. Very little black paint is used as the residents’ depth perception is poor and black or deeply shaded areas can appear as a hole to them.
Client testimonials: “Dear Sharron, I just wanted to pass on our appreciation for your recent dementia mural works. The residents, staff and family, have given nothing but positive feedback. Many of our residents thoroughly enjoyed watching the work in progress, and your professionalism did not go unnoticed. We look forward to working with you again for some of our QLD facilities.” Fiona De Vries, National Club Services Manager, Regis Aged Care
“Dear Sharron, The mural for dementia has had a positive impact on the behaviour of the residents in the dementia wing. Residents are no longer going to the door. Instead, they are admiring and walking away from the door, a positive effect that the staff have certainly commented on. Good outcome!” Ron Singh, Director, Regis Aged Care, Wellington Point
>> Queensland Health, Cooinda House
Client Brief: Help the residents to remember their lives and feel more at home by creating themed areas for the kitchen/dining space and the adjoining ‘nook’.
Our strategy: Community Spirit was the purpose of this work. Dementia patients benefit from reading, so signage and a blackboard for notices were included. A cafe scene full of curves to soften the space achieved an out and about in the community feeling.
Engagement in worthwhile activity helps reduce wandering. Sharron provided a list of mural specific props, i.e., baskets of bread (even plastic bread), serviettes, magazines, dried garlic, plastic salami or fruits hanging from the window cavity, new Red Orange place mats, brightly checked tablecloths and vases of flowers. When Queensland Health adds these, they’ll achieve their goals and free staff time.
Results: The friendly residents watched fascinated while Sharron painted on site. People with Dementia will talk about memories from their younger lives, so providing an engaging setting is the step in the right direction.