National Safe At Home Week begins August 24-30th and it’s a great time to address the safety and well-being of our loved ones with Alzheimer’ and Dementia.

The comfort and safety of our loved ones with this disease is not to be underestimated. The fewer the decisions they need to make, the easier it will be—removing clutter, proper labeling and overall simplification will help them to better cope with their disease.

BrightFocus Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports research to end Alzheimer’s, suggests the following—“look around the house, room by room, and see how it can be modified to make it more dementia friendly. When your home incorporates the elements of dementia friendly design, your loved one’s risk of falling is reduced, memory is aided, and there is more freedom to use ones own abilities. A good design helps your loved one thrive.”

General Home Tips:

  • Remove and secure all tripping hazards, including area rugs, furniture with sharp corners (in the event of a fall), all loose wires and bulky furniture that can make it difficult to navigate around the home.
  • Designate a space/place with a container for each category—keep everything in the same spot—consider using photos as drawer labels for easy identification. This is also great for kitchen cabinets and closets throughout the home. Removing cabinet doors can also be helpful for quick identification
  • Keep most used doors open to limit the confusion for where each door leads and consider signing areas that they should avoid–this will also alleviate the potential dangers of wandering.
  • The bedroom should be free and clear of any unnecessary furniture, especially if a wheel chair or walker needs to be in close proximity to the bed
  • Make sure there are multiple changes of the same clothing that are stored in a designated spot to avoid confusion. The decision making process of what to wear can become quite difficult
  • Assign an area for keys, glasses, mail, etc.

Educating oneself on Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia can help family members and caregivers to better understand the disease and what to expect as the disease progresses, while keeping their loved ones safe.