Preparing the Home for Senior Care With Dementia or Alzheimer's

Senior care can be stressful especially when the loved one has Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Creating a safe home environment can ease some of this stress, and getting needed time away from senior care by employing an in-home care service can also help.

Creating a safe environment removes the danger and stress from in-house senior care. The hardest part in safeguarding a home for senior care can be assessing the existing risks, identifying areas that need to be improved, and preventing wandering. The following checklist can help when planning for safe in-home senior care.

• Install grab bars in bathrooms and put non-slip bath mats in tubs. Use a handheld showerhead and shower bench.
• If necessary remove the car and or the car keys from temptation if the senior should not be driving.
• Install locks on all windows and doors and if the senior tends to wander out, keep them locked. Install deadbolt looks on doors that need a key to open.
• Place nightlights in the bedroom, hall and bathroom.
• Remove the locks on bathroom doors to prevent the person from accidentally locking himself in.
• Use childproof locks on any cabinets where medicine, chemicals or dangerous items like knives and guns are kept.
• Keep walkways clutter-free and the house tidy to avoid falls.
• Consider replacing throw rugs and anything else that might cause an elderly person to slip or fall.
• Install outdoor flood lighting to illuminate walkways at night.
• Have a fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen. Install an automatic shut-off switch on the stove.
• The elderly person should carry identification medical alerts if necessary so that in the event that he or she wanders off, someone will be able to indentify him or her. If the elderly person does become lost, it is important to have a recent photograph of the person on hand to show police.
• Make sure the elderly person’s financial and legal documents are in order, and kept in a secure place.
• Use an adult day care service to reduce the stress and demands of senior care. This way you can have peace of mind knowing that a qualified, caring person is providing senior care while you are away.