The person with Alzheimer’s may not see the pet and trip over it.
Remove curtains and rugs with busy patterns that may confuse the person.This creates contrast and makes it easier for the person to see. Make floors and walls different colors.Their sense of perception and depth may be altered, too. SeeingĪlthough there may be nothing physically wrong with their eyes, people with Alzheimer’s may no longer be able to interpret accurately what they see. You can do things around the house to make life safer and easier for the person. People with Alzheimer’s disease may not see, smell, touch, hear, and/or taste things as they used to. Shoes and slippers with good traction also help the person move around safely.
#Dementia home safety checklist install#
To make floors less slippery, leave floors unpolished or install nonskid strips. Make sure the person with Alzheimer’s has good floor traction for walking. Make sure cords to electrical outlets are out of the way or tacked to baseboards.Put a gate across the stairs if the person has balance problems.Put carpet on stairs, or mark the edges of steps with brightly colored tape so the person can see them more easily.Get rid of clutter, such as piles of newspapers and magazines.Too much furniture can make it hard to move around freely. Try these tips to prevent falls and injuries: Gasoline cans and other dangerous items in the garage.Guns and other weapons, scissors, knives, power tools, and machinery.Poisonous plants-contact the National Poison Control Center at 1-80 or to find out which houseplants are poisonous.Cleaning and household products, such as paint thinner and matches.Prescription and over-the-counter medicines.Lock up or remove these potentially dangerous items from the home: You can buy home safety products at stores carrying hardware, electronics, medical supplies, and children’s items. Childproof plugs for unused electrical outlets and childproof latches on cabinet doors.Safety knobs and an automatic shut-off switch on the stove.Emergency phone numbers (ambulance, poison control, doctors, hospital, etc.) and the person’s address near all phones.Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in or near the kitchen and in all bedrooms.Create an Alzheimer’s-Safe HomeĪdd the following items to the person’s home if they are not already in place: Changing the home environment can give the person more freedom to move around independently and safely. It is more effective to change the person’s surroundings-for example, to remove dangerous items-than to try to change behaviors. While some Alzheimer’s behaviors can be managed medically, many, such as wandering and agitation, cannot. Think prevention-help avoid accidents by controlling possible problems.
#Dementia home safety checklist how to#
For example, they may forget to turn off the oven or the water, how to use the phone during an emergency, which things around the house are dangerous, and where things are in their own home.Īs a caregiver, you can do many things to make the person’s home a safer place. Over time, people with Alzheimer’s disease become less able to manage around the house.
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