Home Safety Tips for Alzheimer's Patients

Home safety is an important thing for any senior, but it is even more important when we are caring for someone that has Alzheimer's or Dementia. Things that you may not have thought of as a risk before is suddenly something you need to be aware of. Here are some tips to keep in mind in each room of your house.

Outside:

• Mark the edges of steps with bright colored tape
• Think about putting a ramp in, instead of steps
• Make sure there are no objects laying around that can cause falls, such as hoses

Kitchen:

• Lock up household cleaning products
• Install childproof locks on door latches
• Keep prescriptions in a locked cabinet
• Remove knobs from the stove

Bedroom

• Have a night-light
• Get rid of any throw rugs
• Have some type of intercom system in place so you can hear any noises in the bedroom

Bathroom

• Remove the lock from the bathroom door
• Have grab bars installed by the toilet and in the shower
• Remove small electrical appliances from the bathroom
• Insert drain traps in sinks

Living Room

• Remove throw rugs
• Hide the remote controls for the tv, dvd player, and stero system
• Clear walk ways of electrical cords

Laundry Room

• Keep detergent and other products in a locked cabinet
• Latch the doors to the washing machine and dryer so objects don't get placed in there.

Garage

• Keep all tools and other dangerous items locked away
• Lock all cars
• Make sure the garage is well lit and clear of clutter

For more tips on home safety go to http://www.nia.nih.gov/