No longer safe at home alone? How dementia can affect your loved one’s safety.

If you have an older loved one who still lives at home with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, you want to ensure they stay happy and healthy. If their care falls on your shoulders, this isn’t always easy, and even the most well-meaning family member can burn out without the right support.

Bringing in a home care provider from Griswold Home Care can help ensure that your family member is well looked after and safe in their home, which can help them live a longer and more fulfilling life.

Here are some home safety tips that Griswold Home Care can help to establish and put into place:

Avoiding safety hazards in the kitchen:

Use appliances that have an automatic shut-off feature. Limit some usage by applying knob covers and turning off the gas when the stove isn’t being used. Get rid of decorative fruits and plants as they can often be mistaken for real food.

Putting medications in a locked drawer or cabinet:

Medications need to be monitored so they can be taken safely. Pre-dispensed pill packs from a pharmacy with time/date labels will give your loved one what they need to take the correct amount on time. Our home care providers can help with reminders and give prompts when it’s time to take medication.

Making sure walkways and rooms are well-lit:

A lack of light or changes in levels of light can be disorienting for those suffering with dementia. Areas of the home that commonly have problems with dark spots include outside landings and areas between rooms, stairways, and bathrooms. It’s also important to place night lights in hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms. An in-home care helper from Griswold Home Care can help make sure lights are turned on, so there’s adequate lighting during scheduled visits.

Ensuring bedroom safety:

A home care provider can monitor the use of various products such as electric blankets, heaters, and heating pads to prevent burns and other injuries. They can also set up seating near the bed to help your loved one with dressing.

Eliminating bathroom injuries:

Grab bars can be installed for the shower, tub, and toilet, which will provide additional support to help prevent a fall. Textured stickers can be applied to slippery surfaces to prevent falls and any fall/slip risks should be removed such as floor mats with poor grip. A walk-in shower is another consideration to make bathroom time less dangerous.

Griswold Home Care understands that many individuals in the Worcester area want loved ones to remain in their home as long as possible. With the help of a home caregiver and taking the steps listed above, you can help your elderly family member’s time at home to be as safe as possible. Give the Griswold Home Care Worcester Office a call today at (508) 917-6649 to see how we can help and put a plan in place.