Create a Safe Home Environment for Alzheimer's.

Create a Safe Home Environment

Creating a safe home for an Alzheimer's patient is similar to child-proofing for babies and toddlers. Look around your home. Do you see any possible dangers? You want to create the safest environment possible.

Clutter, chemical cleansers, objects with sharp edges, and valuables should be put away. Alzheimer's patients move fast, so don't assume you'll catch someone before harm occurs. Make life easier for both caregiver and patient by anticipating problems and taking steps to prevent them.

Household cleansers stored under the kitchen sink may have been fine for years. Bleach mistaken for a drink or dish soap used as food, just once, can cause severe trouble. Don't risk it. Put a child-proof lock on cabinets. Remove dangerous substances and lock them in a place the patient can't find or reach. It may be inconvenient, but peace of mind is worth it.

Making Your Home Safe Can Prevent a Lot of Heartache

Alzheimer's patients lose coordination and balance with the progression of the disease. Look at your home's floor plan. Does clutter block passage ways? Can you remove it to make wider spaces for your patient to pace? Throw rugs could slip and cause a fall. If you have a staircase that is hard for your patient to maneuver without supervision, restrict access. This can be done with a child safety gate, or locked door.

Here is something I learned the hard way.
Your patient's shoes should be a good fit not just in size, but also in style. I bought expensive, sturdy boat-style tennis shoes for Billie. I thought they would provide strong support for her feet during her nonstop walking phase. The shoes appealed to Billie and looked great. However, they were heavy and caused blisters on her heels. A nurse suggested a switch to lightweight, canvas slip-on shoes. We did, and that solved the problem.

Many Alzheimer's patients shuffle, rather than walk. Shuffling wears the tread down quickly. Check the soles of their shoes often. Little or no tread means a higher risk for slips and falls.

Safety also means a secure house and yard. Lock exit doors and garden gates so your patient can't wander outside and get lost in the neighborhood. Locks at the very top or bottom of a door are effective. Most AD patients won't notice the extra lock. On the flip side, in the bath and bedroom, you don't want a patient to lock themselves inside. Make sure doors to bathrooms and bedrooms can be opened from the outside when necessary.

Child safety handles and child-proof locks on doors, drawers and cabinets are a good solution that allow dangerous substances to remain in the usual places, while eliminating a patient’s access.

A Few More Considerations

KITCHEN: Remove knobs on the stove to prevent accidental fires, or gas left on. Don't leave medicines, or vitamins on the window sill. Even baby aspirin is dangerous if eaten like candy. Remember, as the disease progresses, your patient won't be able to read labels or directions.

BATH: Toiletries can be confused or misused. You don't want triple antibiotic used as toothpaste. Challenge yourself to anticipate ways harmless items can become dangerous, and troubleshoot before a problem arises.

LAWN/YARD: Remove or lock away pesticides, fertilizer and sharp gardening tools.

SWIMMING POOL: The pool should be enclosed with a fence or inaccessible to the patient. Do whatever is necessary to guarantee your patient doesn't fall into the water.

SMOKING: Sometimes, it is hard to convince a patient to stop smoking. If that's the case at your house, allow smoking only with supervision. Short-term memory loss means your patient can forget between puffs that he has a lit cigarette. If you're the smoker, don't leave matches, lighters or cigarettes sitting around.

It isn't only the patient's confusion and memory loss that cause trouble. Hearing, sight and depth perception losses are real symptoms of Alzheimer's. Making your house safe for an Alzheimer's patient can save a lot of heartache.