Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t just damage a person’s ability to remember. It also damages his or her ability to perceive information and act on it. As the disease progresses, a person’s judgment, behavior, sense of time and place, physical abilities and sensory abilities (vision, hearing, smell, etc.) are all impaired.
Because of these changes, safety becomes a concern. People with Alzheimer’s tend to wander away from home, or they may do things like light a candle and forget about it, sparking a fire that could injure them or damage their home.
Balancing freedom and safety
Caregivers and family members have to strike the right balance between allowing the person with Alzheimer’s as much freedom and “normalcy” as possible while making the home environment safer.
Here are some suggestions for improving home safety from the Alzheimer’s Association:
- Assess the home in light of the patient’s behaviors and abilities
How easily can the person with Alzheimer’s get to parts of the home that are dangerous? Are dangerous items (knives, firearms, scissors, medications, toxic substances) readily accessible? Are trip/fall hazards an issue around stairs or area rugs? - Lock or disguise hazardous areas
Hide doors and locks with paint, wallpaper or murals. Use half doors or swinging doors to disguise workshops, basements, kitchens or other dangerous areas. - Keep a list of emergency numbers handy
This list should include police and fire agencies, poison control hotlines and hospitals. - Install safety devices
Make sure your loved one has smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, etc. ““ and make sure they work. - Install locks out of sight
A person with Alzheimer’s can still work a deadbolt even when they aren’t sure where they’re going or don’t realize it isn’t safe to go outside. - Remove locks
Take lock away from bathrooms and bedrooms so the person can’t lock him- or herself in. - Keep walkways well-lit
Adding extra lighting in hallways and stairwells, or even installing nightlights in bedrooms or bathrooms helps cut down on confusion and reduces the risk of accidents. - Remove and disable firearms and other weapons
Dementia can cause a person to mistakenly believe a caregiver is an intruder; access to a firearm could lead to tragedy. - Put medications in a locked drawer or cabinet
Use a pill organizer and checklist to make sure medications are taken properly. - Remove tripping hazards
Your loved one can easily trip over anything out on the floor, including floor lamps, magazine racks and other clutter. - Watch the temperature of food and water
People with dementia can’t always tell what’s too hot or too cold. You’ll also want to set the thermostat in the water heater to 120 degrees F to prevent scalds.
