Preparing A Home For Someone Suffering From Alzheimer's or Dementia

Be safe, prepare your home for an Alzheimer's or dementia sufferer.
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• Look closely at your home, both inside and out. Pay close attention to areas where you may keep dangerous items like tools, chemicals (including cleaning supplies), and other areas like garages, which may potentially pose a significant threat.
• Safety in the kitchen is essential. Make sure the person with dementia cannot use the stove or turn on the gas on a gas stove accidentally. Removing knobs or installing a hidden gas valve is recommended. Consider appliances with auto shut-off features. Remove items from the tables and counters that can be easily accessed or can cause harm if touched or ingested.
• Keep an updated list of all emergency phone numbers and addresses for the local police department, fire department, hospitals, and poison control hotline. 
• ​Ensure that all fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors are installed and in good working order.
• Install locks where the person with dementia won't see them easily. Deadbolts high up or low down on exterior doors will make it difficult for them to wander out of the house on their own. Make sure to keep extra sets of keys hidden near the doors for easy access. Also, be sure to remove or disable locks to bedrooms, bathrooms, and anywhere in your home that may lock from the inside so the person cannot get locked inside.
• Ensure that all pathway areas inside and outside the home have appropriate lighting. These areas include entryways, doorways, stairwells, hallways, and bathrooms. Use night lights or motion-activated lighting to ensure that these areas have the proper lighting when needed.
• Lock up or remove any guns or other weapons in the home. Locking up firearms will keep the sufferer from harming themselves or others. A person with dementia may mistake family or caregivers for unknown intruders.
• Lock up any medications and use a pillbox organizer for daily doses. Make sure to keep a detailed daily list for each medication that is to ou to be taken each day.
• Keep floors, surfaces, and shelves clutter-free. Clutter-free includes removing anything that a person can trip over like coffee tables and floor lamps.
• Persons with dementia may find it difficult to tell the difference between things that are hot and cold. Make sure your water heater settings are low enough that the water doesn't reach a temperature that can burn their skin. Pay close attention to the sufferer's food temperature.
• A walk-in shower with grab bars is preferable to a bathtub, which can cause injury. Install grab bars in the shower or tub, near the toilet, and the edge of the vanity to allow for independent but safe movement. Slippery surfaces require textured stickers to keep them safe. Also, use adhesives to rugs and floor mats to keep them from moving around or remove them altogether.
• Lock up all cleaning products both in the kitchen and in the laundry area. Detergents, including pacs or pods and bleach, is a risk to be eaten or ingested. If possible, prevent access to the washer and dryer by keeping the area locked off.
• The garage and basements pose significant risks. Lock up hand and power tools, including lawn equipment. Keep poisonous chemicals or flammable liquids out of reach. Lock up ladders and step stools. Install a garage door safety sensor and, if possible, keep garages and basements locked and off-limits.
• This list is for the safety of someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. However, make sure the environment you create doesn't feel too restrictive. Encourage independence and social interaction wherever and whenever possible.

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The Alzheimer's Association (www.ALZ.org) has come up with a detailed home safety checklist. For your convenience, we are providing a PDF copy of that list for you to print out. 

Download PDF Here

If you or a loved one are considering Home Care for a Dementia or Alzheimer's sufferer, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

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