HOME SAFETY FOR PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE BOOKLET

Program Description

The Alzheimer’s Home Safety Booklet contains information on how to help those with Alzheimer's such as:

• An Alzheimer’s home safety checklist -to help make each room in the home from the bathroom, the laundry room, living room, bedroom, kitchen etc., a safer environment for the person with Alzheimer's.
• Home safety tips for specific impairments associated with Alzheimer’s disease such as wandering, hiding things, hallucinations that can create safety hazards in the home.
• Tips for managing and planning for a natural disaster.
• A list of resources for family caregivers.

The booklet also covers information such as:

-Is It Safe to Leave the Person with Alzheimer’s Disease Alone?
-Home Safety Room by Room 
-Home Safety Behavior by Behavior 
-Special Occasions/Gatherings/Holidays
-Warning Signs of Unsafe Driving
-Who Would Take Care of the Person with Alzheimer’s If Something Happened to You?

Prevention and Minimize Danger - it can be difficult to predict what a person with Alzheimer’s may do. Checking the initial home safety of the home will help minimize accidents.

Adapt the home environment - it is more effective to change the environment than to change most behaviors of those with Alzheimer's. Making simple home environment changes can decrease hazards. Tips include using brightly colored signs or simple pictures to label the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen. Additional safety adaptation tips include:

• Limit the size and number of mirrors as they may confuse a person with Alzheimer’s.
• Paint walls a lighter color than the floor to create contrast.
• Install safety latches on storage cabinets and drawers designated for breakable or dangerous items.
• Set the water heater to 120°F to avoid scalding tap water.
• Label hot-water faucets red and cold-water faucets blue and/or write the words “hot” and “cold” near them.
• Pad any sharp corners on furniture or replace or remove furniture with sharp corners.
• Place decals at eye level on sliding glass doors, picture windows, or furniture with large glass panels to identify the glass pane.
• Put away or lock up items such as toothpaste, lotions, shampoos, soap, and perfume. They may look and smell like food to a person with Alzheimer’s.
• Install grab bars in the tub/shower. A grab bar in contrasting color to the wall is easier to see.
• Use a raised toilet seat with handrails or install grab bars beside the toilet.
• Place nonskid adhesive strips, decals, or mats in the tub and shower. If the bathroom is uncarpeted, consider placing these strips next to the tub, toilet, and sink.
• Use a foam rubber faucet cover in the tub, plastic shower stool, and hand-held shower head

• Use smoke detectors and natural gas detectors and check their functioning and batteries frequently. People with Alzheimer’s may not be able to smell smoke or an unlit gas stove.
• Install nightlights and/or automatic light sensors.
• List emergency phone numbers (such as ambulance, poison control, and doctors) and the person’s address near all phones.

source: nia.nih.gov

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