Strategy 3.4
Public toilets
Photo 1: Accessible public toilet with a universal washroom and bright green door at a park in Vancouver. Photo: Emma Avery
Photo 2: Public toilet with signage and a map in Boston. Photo: Hiro / Flickr
3.4.1
Create accessible and easy-to-find public toilets
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Ensure that pathways to and from toilets are easy to navigate and accessible.
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Avoid placing public toilets in areas that require stairs to access them.
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Provide obvious signage to indicate where the public toilet is located (i.e., provide directional signage to communicate that a public toilet is available 200 metres away).
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Provide a unisex family toilet to offer flexibility for families and people who need assistance from care partners.
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Provide seating and a place to rest or wait near the toilet.
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Ensure that toilets are unlocked and free to use.
The Portland Loo. Photo: Mattsjc / Wikimedia Commons
3.4.2
Maintain cleanliness and safety
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Consider installing self-cleaning toilets in locations where regular maintenance will be difficult.
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Consider locating public toilets near to other areas of activity, such as a playground or a transit stop, to discourage other uses and vandalism.
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Carefully consider lighting both inside and around the public toilet to ensure visibility, particularly for older adults.
It’s important to ensure contrast between the toilet seat, toilet fixture, walls, and floors. Illustration: Happy Cities
3.4.3
Design with high-contrast surfaces
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Ensure contrast between the toilet seat and the rest of the toilet fixture.
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Ensure contrast between the toilet fixture and the walls and floors of the bathroom.
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Ensure that flooring has a simple or solid pattern, and is not slippery or reflective.
Access to a toilet is a human right. Lack of access to public toilets can hinder people’s ability to venture out into the neighbourhood, particularly for people living with dementia. People need safe and easy-to-access public toilets in key destinations throughout the neighbourhood, such as at parks, transit stations, shopping areas, and more.
Actions under this strategy:
When I go to the grocery store, if toilets are not available to me, then I can't make the trip.
DemSCAPE project participant
If toilets are not available in grocery stores, transit stations, or parks, that can prevent people living with dementia from accessing those spaces.
DemSCAPE project participant
Dementia-inclusive principles:
Comfortable: People can use a public space without fear of not being able to meet their biological needs.
Accessible: People living with dementia and other disabilities can access the required facilities.