If you’re a caregiver for someone who has Alzheimer Disease there are some things that you’ll want to do to make the home safe for them to life in. One of the goals of a caregiver is to keep your family member, or patient, home as long as you can. There are several things that you can do to make the home as safe as possible:

Improve the lighting in the home. This includes hallways, stairways, and bathrooms. Try to have the same level of lighting throughout since changes in light levels can be confusing for some patients.

Put rugs that are a different color than the floor or carpeting in front of stairs and doors so that the patient has an easier time identifying where they are.

Always make sure the patient takes their medication while you are watching. You want to make sure that they are taking it and not missing a dose.

Close off any areas that can be a danger to the patient. You can use child safety latches and locks to make many areas inaccessible, such as knife drawers in the kitchen.

Make sure that the food in the refrigerator is fresh and not spoiled. People with Alzheimer Disease will often eat whatever they find regardless of the taste or condition of the food.

Limit the use of some equipment in the home, such as the oven/stove, toasters, and knives.

Look for appliances that come with an automatic shut-off device. This can prevent fires and burns.

Have a list of phone numbers posted at every phone. This includes phone numbers for the police, fire, doctor, poison control, and family members.

1 2 »