3. Avoid accidental poisonings by helping your loved one to take her or his medications. Overmedicating is often a cause for accidental poisonings since the patient will not be able to remember whether or not she or he has already taken the daily dose of the pills prescribed. For the remainder of the time, keep the medications out of reach for your loved one.

4. While you want to give your loved one as much as space as possible, you still want to make sure he or she is safe even in your absence. Yet forgotten toaster ovens, irons, or coffee makers may present severe burn hazards. There are automatic shut off devices available for these appliances, and it may be worthwhile to invest in some of them.

5. Another important aspect of safety for Alzheimer’s patients is the prevention of falls. Very often this may be accomplished by adding lighting to stairwells, and overall areas of the home that previously were a bit dark. Obviously, you don’t want the light to be glaring, yet some well placed additional lights that help your loved one to safely navigate stairs or the entry way are appropriate. Similarly, you may wish to install some nightlights in the outlets throughout the home to add some light even at night so your loved one will be able to easily find the light switches.

6. Probably the most hazardous room in your loved one’s home is the bathroom. There are many areas that may provide dangerous surface that could cause slippage. For this reason, go ahead and install grab bars in the shower or around the bathtub to allow your loved one to have added safety when entering and exiting. Additionally, put non-slip mats on the bottom of the show or tub, and consider installing a special shower chair in the shower, so your loved one may sit down. Be sure to turn down the water heater temperature so scalding hot water will not accidentally burn the patient.

« 1 2 3 »