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How to Help a Loved One With Alzheimer’s Disease Feel Safer at Home

Elderly Care in New Rochelle NY

Senior woman in the kitchenA lot changes for you and for your elderly loved one when

she’s diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease . One of the biggest changes is that her ability to reason becomes damaged and she might not recognize some safety issues on her own. That’s where you come in.

Make Falls Less Likely

Pay particular attention to all of the usual suspects when it comes to falls and your loved one. Pick up throw rugs and remove clutter that can cause tripping. Go through your loved one’s entire home and really look at what might cause her to lose her balance. You might need to watch how she moves through her house to make sure that you cover all your bases.

Use Locks Wisely

Locks can be one of the best tools that you use with your elderly loved one. If her judgment is even a little bit impaired, knowing that she can’t get to medication without your help can give you tremendous peace of mind. Use locks for any items that might be dangerous for your loved one. This means for things like over-the-counter medications, cleaning supplies, dangerous tools, and even handguns.

Water Temperature Is Important

Water temperature is really easy for family caregivers to overlook. You don’t think about your loved one turning on the hot water only, because she’s never done that before. Then one day she burns herself, even only mildly, and you realize that something got overlooked. Check the temperature on your loved one’s water heater and lower it. That way your loved one can still have warm water, but the risk of burning herself is much lower.

Make Fire Safety a Priority

Fire safety is incredibly important for your loved one, particularly if her problem-solving skills are somewhat impaired. Make sure that there’s a working fire extinguisher on every floor of the house and that the smoke alarms are all in good working order. Be sure to lock away matches, lighters, and anything else that might contribute to getting a fire started.

Look for Other Safety Concerns

Even when you’re as vigilant about safety as you can be you still run the risk of missing something. Have other family members or a referred caregiver go through the house with you looking for safety issues. Someone else might see something with fresh eyes that you overlooked.

Keeping your loved one safe at home is a constant project, but it’s not as difficult as it first seems.

If you or an aging loved one are considering non-medical in-home care in Scarsdale and Yonkers, NY, call Griswold Home Care and speak to one of our caring staff members today. Call (914) 768-9065

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