Safety at Home

Focus point 3: People with dementia can live safely and be as independent as possible in settings that promote physical, mental/intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual wellness.

If your loved one has dementia, you’ll need to make the conventional home modifications an older person needs — and a great many others. People with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia literally see the world in a new, often confusing way. Everyday things can be frightening — an oil spot can be perceived as a hole, shadows may be seen as sinister beings, a “stranger" may appear in the mirror. Making a home safe and easier to navigate is a multipart process.

Step 1. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association. They can give guidance and can usually recommend local aging life care experts, occupational or physical therapists, geriatric care managers or aging care experts and certified aging-in-place specialists who can come to your home and advise on safety issues.

Step 2. Take a tour of your own house, looking at it from your loved one’s compromised point of view. Dementia affects cognitive abilities, depth perception, balance, coordination, memory and strength. People with the disease have difficulty understanding instructions, accurately interpreting the world around them and making sound choices. Even if your loved one is still managing well, prepare your house for the future, ideally before moving day. People with dementia take more time to adjust and may not be able to adapt to a changed environment. Little things — like rearranging the furniture — can seem sudden and unsettling. Big changes like redecorating can be alarming. 

Step 3. Print out the AARP checklist for home safety. Start in the front yard. Make a to-do list as you go.

• Mark edges of steps with neon, glow-in-the-dark tape.
• Repair cracked pavement and uneven bricks. Steppingstones are a tripping point unless they are flush with the ground.
• Clear the walkway. Get in the habit of removing slip-and-fall hazards: leaves, snow, ice, moss, the garden hose. Relocate bikes, toys, balls, chalk, jump ropes, garden gnomes and lawn ornaments. Trade thick welcome mats for thin, rubber-backed mats with edges flush with the ground. For people with dementia, a cluttered path is like being bombarded with too much information; they are unable to weed out the unimportant bits.
• Look again after dark. Spotty lighting can create shadows, which can be perceived as deep holes or edges that must be stepped over or around. Some people with dementia see shadows as burglars, demons or dangerous animals. Well-placed, bright outdoor lighting can prevent falls, anxiety and fear.

AARP Checklist - https://assets.aarp.org/external_sites/caregiving/checklists/checklist_homeSafety.html