Creating a dementia-friendly home
Almost every part of a home can impact the quality of life and safety of someone living with a memory loss condition. People with Alzheimer’s have increased fall risk due to balance issues, impaired depth perception, inability to recognize danger and medication side effects. Even seemingly cosmetic choices like color schemes, furniture patterns and dishware make a difference, but most residences are not built with these needs in mind. AFA created The Apartment, a model, full-scale dementia-friendly studio residence built as a teaching tool to help families learn how to make a home safer and more comfortable. Located in AFA’s New York City headquarters, it can be visited virtually any time at alzfdn.org/theapartment. Along with the video tour, a 20-page companion guide, available in electronic and print formats, takes individuals through each room.
Watch for wandering
Wandering is one of the most common behaviors among people living with Alzheimer’s. It often stems from an unmet need or desire for purpose and sometimes is a form of communication. Individuals may leave their homes because they believe they need to go to work, even if they are retired. Others are looking for something or someone.
What you can do
- Pay attention to your person’s patterns — frequency, duration, time of day — and prepare activities (socialization or recreational) that can be used to redirect their attention. Ensure basic needs (hunger, thirst, restroom) are met.
- Know the individual’s past and present favorite spots in the neighborhood. If they wander from home, this will help in your search.
- Know the individual’s phone carrier and number to track them by phone.
- Install a motion paging system by their bedside or door. When a motion is detected, a silent wireless signal is sent to the care partner.
- Install video doorbells to alert a care partner when someone is approaching or leaving the home.
- Use medical identification bracelets, necklaces and tracking devices for monitoring. Check whether your municipality has a Project Lifesaver program (projectlifesaver.org, or call 877-580-LIFE).
Project Lifesaver uses locating devices to aid in the search and rescue of individuals.
- Familiarize yourself with your state’s public alert (Silver Alert) service, a notification system that broadcasts information about missing persons to solicit aid in locating them.
- Understand how to contact your police department and call 911 in an emergency.
Driving
Conversations about giving up driving usually happen in the first to middle stages of dementia, when the person may not fully understand what’s happening. That is why it’s important to have these conversations well before driving stops.
Warning signs that it may be time to stop driving include getting lost while driving alone, fender benders and traffic violations. Earlier signs may include reduced confidence or deferring driving to a partner. Note that tasks like making left turns — which require higher executive function — can be especially telling. Care partners can ask themselves, “Would I let my children ride with this loved one?”
Nathaniel Chin, M.D., a member of the AFA medical advisory board, recommends involving a healthcare provider in the conversation, if needed. While physicians can’t assess driving ability directly, they can refer patients to occupational therapists who can and make recommendations about safety.
Families should plan for alternatives, such as car services or rides from family, friends or neighbors. If all else fails, you could tell a person the car is under repair and have it removed from the home. Safety first.
TIP: Be Prepared for Any Hospital Emergency
Prepare “go bags” with ID, medications, comfort items, tips for health care providers and doctors’ contact information. The experience could be challenging for the person and the staff caring for them.