How to Dementia Proof Your Home

Dementia is a condition that destroys nerve cells and damages the brain, causing a decline in memory and thinking, and affecting the ability to perform daily tasks. 

Alzheimer’s and Lewy Bodies are types of dementia. It mostly affects older people, but not everyone gets dementia as they age. There are a lot of factors that can cause dementia like age or another disease or condition. 

Some of the early symptoms of dementia are forgetfulness, being confused, misplacing things, being unable to do daily tasks, etc. Dementia can get worse over time.

It will be hard to always keep an eye on them even if we try. Some facilities offer specialized in-home care, but we still have to make sure that they are in a safe and comfortable space. 

5 Ways To Dementia-Proof Your Home

If you’re a caregiver to a person living with dementia, you want to make your home dementia friendly to avoid accidents. Below is a safety checklist you can use as a reference.

Prevent Wandering 

Dementia patients tend to wander due to losing their ability to recognize familiar places.

It can be distressing and scary to caregivers when accidents happen, and they get lost. To prevent your loved one from wandering out of the property, here are some tips: 

• Give them scheduled and meaningful activities to participate in, especially at the times they are likely to wander. 
• Put locks on doors, windows, and gates, and make sure they are not easily seen by your loved one. Install a fence to allow them to wander around inside your property. Also, invest in a good alarm system that would detect open doors.
• Create a common space in and out of the house for them to explore. 
• Hide the things that can remind them of leaving, like coats, keys, etc. 
• Ask your neighbors to immediately call emergency services in case they see your loved one wander out of the property. 

Reduce Hazards That Might Cause Injury to Someone with Dementia

Accidents happen all the time, whether you have a condition or not. People with dementia are more prone to it. You can avoid these accidents by reducing hazards around your home. 

• On every door, put a sign that indicates what it’s for. Use pictures/symbols if possible. Mark all glass doors too, to avoid them being mistaken as an open space. 
• Make sure doors and pathways can accommodate wheelchairs even if your loved one isn’t using one yet. This will come in handy once they need them in the future. 
• If you have a pool or hot tub, invest in a good fence to keep your loved one from accidentally falling and drowning. Use pool covers or install a pool alarm that will ring if it detects a person in the water. 
• Secure electric outlets to avoid accidental electric shocks. Use childproof devices for kitchen drawers and cabinets where there are knives and other sharp things. Make sure to secure and always plug out appliances like the microwave or stove after use.
• For outside the house, make sure dangerous items like lawnmowers or fire grills are secured and out of reach. 
• Make sure the whole place is well lit, especially at night as your loved one can perceive shadows as intruders or demons and cause them to panic. 
• Remove locks inside the bathroom doors and other rooms to avoid having your loved one lock themselves in. 
• Install temperature-controlled faucets or anti-scald devices to avoid accidental burning. 
• Consult with their doctor about the type of food that can be given to avoid choking. Make sure to also keep food easy to reach to avoid stepping on something to reach it.
  

Make Your House Easier to Navigate Around and Prevent Falls 

People with dementia are more at risk of falling. Take these steps to prevent your loved one from tripping or falling and causing injuries. 

• Avoid any clutter lying around or outside the house that can trip them like clothes, books, hose, rope, ornaments, etc. 
• Repair any cracks or uneven steps on walkways and anywhere inside and outside the house. If you have carpets and rugs, make sure they don’t have any bumps they can trip on.
• Make sure the house is well-lit because people with dementia sometimes perceive shadows as an open space that they have to walk around. Put glow-in-the-dark tape or lights on the stairs to see it well at night.
• Invest in motion sensor lights too, that turn on when a person walks into a room. These will be helpful when your loved one gets up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Alternatively, for other parts of the house, you can change your light switches that illuminate when off.
• Install grab rails on places where slipping is most likely to happen like the stairway or bathroom.
• Try to invest in a walk-in bathtub to avoid stepping over the tub. Put nonslip mats in the bathroom and a shower chair in the shower to avoid slipping.
• Remind your loved one to not carry things when walking as these can cause imbalance and may block their view.
  

Prevent Poisoning

Prevent any accidental poisoning by doing the following things. 

• Secure medicine cabinets. Use child-proofing devices if necessary to prevent your loved one from having access. 
• Don’t have any cleaning supplies lying around or within easy reach. Make sure they are stored in a secure place. 
• Always check your fridge and pantry for any expired or spoiled food that can cause food poisoning. Watch out for ingredients that can cause severe allergic reactions too. 
• Hide any alcohol or tobacco. If there are any gatherings, watch out for unattended alcohol that they might access. 
• If you have a pet, keep their food out of reach. 
• Throw away any toxic plants or fancy decorations that can be mistaken for food. 
• Invest in a gas detector that could detect poisonous gases like carbon monoxide.

Consider In-home Care
Help is available if and when you are ready for it. Some facilities offer in-home care. They train their staff to properly take care of your loved one.

In-home care is also great because your loved one can stay in the comfort of their home and the service provided is tailored to accommodate their needs. 

Getting the services of an in-home care doesn’t mean you’re abandoning your loved one. It just means that you’re brave enough to admit that you can’t do it alone. This way, you can have more time to step back and breathe to avoid burnout. It would also put your mind at ease because they are well-trained to take care of people with dementia. 

Conclusion

Dementia can impact not only the life of the person with it but also the people around them. But life doesn’t stop if your loved one has dementia. There are still a lot of things you can do with them; you just need to be more careful and more patient. 

Besides taking safety measures to make your home dementia-friendly, you can also still encourage their independence.

It would be easier to just do things for them, but if they can still do it, encourage them to do it so they can still exercise, and they don’t feel worthless and a burden. You can also honor their memories by talking about them with them through stories and looking through old photos. 

If you feel like you can’t do it anymore, always remember that help is always available. Don’t be afraid to step back for a while and take a rest. There are services available that can help take care of your loved one. 

As a provider of home care services in Upland, California, we also recommend installing safety features such as grab bars, non-slip mats, and handrails. These safety features can help prevent falls and injuries, which are a significant risk for individuals with memory loss and confusion.

Furthermore, provide supervision and support as needed. Dementia patients may have difficulty with certain activities like cooking or cleaning. You may avail of home health support to help out.

If you are seeking 24 hour care in Montclair for a loved one with dementia, Thoughtful Home Care, Inc. provides quality care that ensures their safety, comfort, and well-being.

We can help with medication management, exercise, respite care, and more. Contact us today to learn more.