It happened quickly; it was unexpected, but now you are beginning to worry you may not be able to keep living in Your Own Home
Sometimes all you need to do to stay safely at home are these basic changes:
Adapt Your House Click on each area to view the room illustration: Living room, Bedroom, Kitchen, Dining room, Bathroom, Laundry... You want your loved one to feel at Home. To feel safe and comfortable in their own home, even though sometimes they might not remember where things are or how to do things eg. Finding the toilet bowl...
Adapt Your Apartment By making simple adaptations to the environment, the symptoms of dementia can be minimised and the person supported to lead a full active life.
The overall design of this apartment is open plan with wide door openings, level thresholds and two directional light.
In April 2015 at the 30th International Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease, Perth, Western Australia, Alzheimer’s Australia WA in partnership with de Fiddes Design presented an apartment showcasing the latest dementia design concepts.
Find out more by clicking on each area of the bedroom, kitchen or bathroom to access the illustrations for an apartment.
----------------------
"Since making the right home modifications can make a huge difference in both of your lives, it may be helpful also to have a chat with an Occupational therapist (OT). An OT can take stock of your specific disability and the current state of your home, then make suggestions based on your particular needs.
Meanwhile, here are some general guidelines for modifying your Home.
It might all look like junk to you, but understanding the person's motivation can guide the psychology you use on them. People reared during the Depression tend to save stuff because they "might need it someday." (That would explain my Dad's broken Christmas lights.)
= 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0
Check with their Doctor...
Sometimes all you need to do to stay safely at home are these basic changes:
Adapt Your House Click on each area to view the room illustration: Living room, Bedroom, Kitchen, Dining room, Bathroom, Laundry... You want your loved one to feel at Home. To feel safe and comfortable in their own home, even though sometimes they might not remember where things are or how to do things eg. Finding the toilet bowl...
Adapt Your Apartment By making simple adaptations to the environment, the symptoms of dementia can be minimised and the person supported to lead a full active life.
The overall design of this apartment is open plan with wide door openings, level thresholds and two directional light.
In April 2015 at the 30th International Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease, Perth, Western Australia, Alzheimer’s Australia WA in partnership with de Fiddes Design presented an apartment showcasing the latest dementia design concepts.
Find out more by clicking on each area of the bedroom, kitchen or bathroom to access the illustrations for an apartment.
----------------------
"Since making the right home modifications can make a huge difference in both of your lives, it may be helpful also to have a chat with an Occupational therapist (OT). An OT can take stock of your specific disability and the current state of your home, then make suggestions based on your particular needs.
Meanwhile, here are some general guidelines for modifying your Home.
- Minimize clutter so it's easier for you to move through each room and find what you needs.
- Position furniture in corners or against walls. To prevent bumps and bruises, you can apply foam padding to sharp corners and edges. You can find corner bumpers in the childproofing section of your local hardware store.
- Use duct tape to secure electrical cords against the walls or floors so they aren't a tripping hazard.
- Never use staples or nails -- these can damage cords, risking electric shock or fire.
- Make sure lighting is bright enough, especially over stairways or other potentially hazardous areas. Replace light bulbs regularly.
- Think too about re-painting some of the walls a brighter colour. As our eyesight gets less/or dementia takes its toll; some simply Cannot Distinguish between the colour white or cream on the walls, and the white, off-white, cream of the floor. This makes it Extremely Difficult to navigate eg. along a hallway, in the bathroom, in the separate toilet room. Your loved one may say that the toilet area is 'empty', where the walls, floor, and toilet bowl are All White. Very puzzling.
- Install the appropriate flooring. If you are in a wheelchair, you'll need to replace thick or shag carpeting. If you use a walker or has a hard time walking or balancing, low-pile carpeting might be better than a timber flooring, tile, or linoleum flooring.
- Remove throw rugs and runners, or tape them down with double-faced adhesive carpet tape, available at most hardware stores. Because the adhesive can wear away over time, check rugs and mats periodically and apply new tape as needed.
- Make sure doorways are wide enough for a wheelchair or walker. If necessary, you can remove doors or door frames to widen the space. You may also need to install threshold ramps.
- Have a telephone extension in each room, or use a mobile and have emergency numbers printed in large, bold type. Make sure phones are placed at a level you can easily reach.
- Try and have at least one entry to your home that is step-free. If not practical, think about installing a ramp.
- Have an extra toilet on the ground floor.
It might all look like junk to you, but understanding the person's motivation can guide the psychology you use on them. People reared during the Depression tend to save stuff because they "might need it someday." (That would explain my Dad's broken Christmas lights.)
= 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0 = 0
Check with their Doctor...
- Ask their Doctor to help you identify medications that increase urination (such as diuretics for high blood pressure). If your loved one needs to take these drugs, ask about scheduling the dosing earlier in the day.
- Avoid medications that impair balance and/or cloud thinking.
- These include virtually all sleeping pills and tranquilizers, including over the counter drugs such as diphenhydramine (brand name Benadryl), which is often included in the night-time versions of common over the counter painkillers.
- Ask the Doctor to help you identify other medications that increase fall risk. You should especially about medications for blood pressure, depression, itching, pain, or overactive bladder.
- Ask also about antipsychotics, which are often prescribed to people with dementia.
- Once the Doctor has helped you identify medications that increase fall risk, you can discuss whether each medication is absolutely necessary or whether a lower dose might be effective.
- Try to reduce the distance that needs to be travelled at night (along a hallway)
- For men, consider placing a urinal at the bedside. For women, consider a bedside commode.
- If your loved one still has to get up at night to urinate, try to make the journey as safe as possible.
- Remove clutter from the path from bed to bathroom.
- Keep the path to the bathroom lit at night.
- Provide assistance and supervision, if possible.