Alzheimer's Disease - Ensuring the Home Environment is Safe

Start off by walking through all the rooms,including hallways and stairs, and note any changes in light levels as you do so. Ideally, light levels throughout need to be harmonised as varying light levels can cause confusion in Alzheimer's patients.

Color schemes should then be considered, firstly to see that they contribute to the steady level of lighting but in addition to see if a deliberate change in color or light/dark shading can be used to signify a particular hazard or used as an indicator.An example would be a dark rug set at the bottom of the stairs or at the entrance to the bathroom.

You will then need to consider what parts of certain rooms need particular attention; perhaps putting locks on knife drawers in the kitchen for example.In general terms it might be better to limit the Alzheimer's patient's access to certain appliances such as the cooker,toaster or open bar electric fires etc. Appliances with automatic shut off facilities are a particular boon in this area.

You should prepare for the worst to happen so make sure that you have fire extinguishers suitably placed and that all smoke alarms and other safety devices are working correctly. additionally it is prudent to ensure that emergency phone numbers of Fire, Police, Doctor and family members are clearly placed with each telephone in the house.

In the area of more personal services, the caregiver should ensure that a clear schedule for medication is followed and that it is administered in the presence of the caregiver to ensure proper control.

People with Alzheimers disease often have limited ability to distinguish taste or smell, so extra care is required with contents of a refrigerator. The patient may well just eat it without knowing whether it is still fresh and unspoilt.

Finally their is great advantage for the caregiver to register details of the patient with an organization such as The Safe Return Program, which will provide help should the patient wander off and get lost.

Carrying out a safety audit and making appropriate preventative arrangements in this way, will not only improve the patient's safety and wellbeing but will also lessen the future burden on the caregiver him/herself.