When you care for a person with dementia, there are many things to be concerned about, not least of which is their safety. Early in the condition, people with dementia begin to lose safety awareness. Their perception of what’s safe and what’s not in the world around them is altered by the changes to their brain. You may find that they wind up in situations that both surprise and scare you.

How can you help keep a person safe? A great place to start is to be proactive and create a comprehensive dementia safety plan that protects them, their home, and their finances.

Personal Safety Tips

To assess personal safety of your loved one, consider the following:

1. Take steps to minimize or prevent falls as it’s a top reason for hospitalizations in older adults. Remove tripping hazards such as throw mats, keep pathways free of clutter, and make sure the person never uses a chair to reach anything they need. Get an assessment done by an occupational therapist to determine if a mobility aid like a cane or walker is needed.
2. Many caregivers underestimate the likelihood that their family member will leave home, become disoriented and not be able to find their way back. Consider enrolling the person in a program such as the 24/7 Wandering Support by The Alzheimer’s Association in collaboration with MedicAlert.
3. The person with dementia will likely need your help to ensure they take their medications as prescribed. Talk to your pharmacist about the benefits of medication blister packaging, always discard old medications and keep pills in a locked case.
4. Dementia affects both vision and smell so it’s common for people with dementia to eat food that might be spoiled. Clean out the fridge on a regular basis and if you need to discard anything, do so discreetly. Investigate a community service like Meals on Wheels Association of America to ensure the person always has nutritious meals on hand.

In-Home Safety Tips

For in-home safety, stay alert to the danger of fires, floods, and chemicals.

1. Remove candles, chemicals, and old cleaners from the home. You may also want to install an automatic stove sensor.
2. Look into plugs for the sink and bathtub that are designed to prevent overflow.
3. Buy liquid or powered laundry detergent as pods can look like candy to a person with dementia and can be dangerous if ingested.

Financial Safety Tips

Sadly, people with dementia are frequently targeted by scammers and are very vulnerable to fraud.

1. Make sure someone has power of attorney so that bank accounts can be carefully monitored for sums of money that may go missing.
2. Set up an alert to notify you each time there’s a purchase with a credit card.
3. List their phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry.

Once you have created a dementia safety plan, communicate the plan with all family members and service providers who may be going in the home. Ask them to observe and note any ideas for how safety can be improved. As dementia progresses, you will want to re-evaluate your plan every few months and make changes as necessary.

Questions? Need help? Find a Life Care Planning Law Firm near you.