It is still amazing that so many people are affected by dementia in North America and around the world. The hardships that both the patient and family endure are heart breaking. Most people want to stay at home as do their families. But there are some dangers in home risks to dementia patients.
It is important as caregivers of dementia patients to be aware of these in home risks so that we can keep our loved ones safe.
Here are 6 in home risks to consider:
- In the kitchen, there are many items around the kitchen that can be dangerous to many but especially to dementia patients. So the kitchen must be rearranged to be safer.
- Around the house, falls are quite common to most seniors but are more likely to occur with a dementia patient. Many things can be adjusted to reduce the risks of falls.
- Some households have weapons and the patient is used to handling them. It can be a grave concern if they still think they can handle them safely.
- Medications are common amongst seniors and very common with dementia patient. While needed to manage symptoms, if the medication is not handled properly many risks can occur including falls.
- Water, a beautiful and necessary part of life can cause in home risks to dementia patients including burning.
- Confusion can happen to the best of us. Confusion in dementia patients is common, including getting lost. We need to have plans in place to avoid wandering and reduce the risk of getting lost.
Awareness and education is key to helping caregivers and patients manage living with dementia. Feel free to share any ideas or suggestions you have that can help others by commenting on this article.
For more detail on these in home risks, please see the original article
