Making Home a Safe Place for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s
When a parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, many adult children assume that their loved one cannot remain at home. The truth is, depending on how far the disease has progressed, many Alzheimer’s patients can remain at home for years.
The key to keeping your parent safe at home is to focus on prevention. The National Institute on Aging’s article, Home Safety and Alzheimer’s Disease, gives advice on a creating an Alzheimer’s-safe home. The article highlights the many ways you can help keep your loved safe in their home. For example, people with Alzheimer’s are able to read until the late stages of the disease so signs with simple instructions can remind them of danger or tell them where to go.
The article also suggests that an Alzheimer’s patient’s home is equipped with the following:
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the kitchen and all bedrooms
- Emergency phone numbers including ambulances, doctors and poison control, and the person’s address near all phones
- Safety knobs and an automatic shut-off switch on the stove
- Childproof plugs for unused electrical outlets and childproof latches on cabinet doors
At Physicians Choice Private Duty, we understand caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s is no easy task. However, if your parent wishes to stay at home, there are ways to make that possible. If you are looking for in-home care for a parent or loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s, Physician’s Choice Private Duty Omaha is here to help. Call us today at 402-331-2273
