In the house of my Dutch inlaws was a toilet that had an old door with the words “Here It Is” written on the outside. The door was red and you could easily find it when you needed to!

One of the difficulties we face as we age is confusion over directions and places we want to get to. For older adults, this can be quite disconcerting. One of the ways to assist is to make sure hallways and doors are clearly marked.

We have already posted and talked about the use of hallway lighting for the evening, particularly for the path from the bedroom to the bathroom. However, how about clearly marking the main interior doors with photos or painting them a different colour, to indicate their use?

For example, why not a big picture of the occupant(s) on the outside of the bedroom door? Or a picture of a bed stylized up to make it look very welcoming? In modern restaurants we see fun photos on the outside of the washrooms to indicate what lies behind the door. Why not do the same on the inside of the house? Or, simply put the word”bathroom” on the door to make it clear? Painting all the doors the same colour can lead to confusion for someone who has to live in side the house.