Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other forms of cognitive decline, can cause a person to be disoriented, confused, lost, and a danger to themselves. It is vital to secure your home and protect those living there who may have any cognitive impairments to make them more comfortable. There are a few steps you can take to make sure your, or their, home is the safest for them.
- As a first step, you should take a walk through of the home to assess the area. You can contact local Alzheimer’s support groups who can provide specialized people to review the home for dangers.
- You should make sure to check unsecured areas like closets, and check the refrigerator, for any dangerous items, expired food, and so on.
- Place any items that you may consider dangerous into a designated “danger zone.” This place should be locked and inaccessible to the person.
- Check any areas that are fall risk zones. Consider installing assistance for the person, like guard rails or walk in showers.
- You can also use technology to help keep track of the person, like being alerted if the person leaves the home or using a tracker on their phone to see where they are.
- There are other minor steps you can take, such as decluttering areas, using non-distracted wallpapers, securing book cases, using temperature-controlled faucets, and using video and audio monitors.
Alzheimer’s Disease changes everything. Review living arrangements to make sure they’re safe. #HealthStatus
Key Points:
- 1Regularly inspect the refrigerator or pantry for expired or molded food.
- 2Dispose of any item, or move to your secured “danger zone” that may cause harm to your senior loved one.
- 3Consider installing a handicap accessible bathroom or walk-in shower.
Making your home easy to navigate for your loved one with Alzheimer’s is a crucial step in caregiving and one that, if done right, can help them feel less anxiety and stress.
See the original at: https://www.alzheimers.net/home-safety-checklist-for-alzheimers-and-dementia/
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