A Beckenham woman is campaigning for accessible toilets for sufferers of dementia.

Angela Clayton-Turner, 77, from Beckenham was married to a man who battled Alzheimer’s for 18 years.

Mrs Clayton-Turner cared for him for ten of those 18 years. He died at the age of 75.

She said: “When caring for Ted, I had to enter the men’s loos more than I care to remember! Although he was able to use public toilets, he was unable to find his way out.”

She said: “It affected my dignity going into male toilets. You go in with your hands over your eyes as you aren’t quite sure what you are going to find in there.

“The whole dementia process hurt Ted’s pride. You gradually find yourself unable to do all the things you once could do. So that is hard to come to terms with.”

Mrs Clayton-Turner is co-author of an essay in the Lancet Report, published in August. The essay highlights how people with dementia need to quickly find, use and exit public toilets.

Mrs Clayton-Turner said: “I’ve experienced first-hand how inadequate toilet facilities increase anxiety for people with dementia as well as carers. Our report shows many older adults start to avoid going about their everyday lives because of the lack, or inaccessibility, of public toilets.”

The report says putting a “way out” sign on the appropriate door would make a huge difference to people with dementia.

Mrs Clayton-Turner is a Dementia Friend Champion at Alzheimer’s Society.

The Alzheimer’s Society have developed the Dementia Friendly Business Guide to outline how organisations can make toilets accessible to people affected by dementia.

Suggestions include the use of familiar or automatic flush systems, non-reflective surfaces, lighting, the contrast between doors and surroundings and clearly labelled taps and soap dispensers.