Some simple household hints and tips make life easier for people with dementia.

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic have produced a new book, 'Mayo Clinic on Alzheimer's disease', to help improve day to day living for people with dementia and their carers. Modifying the home environment can go a long way towards ensuring the safety and wellbeing of someone with dementia.

For instance, be sure that emergency numbers - doctor and family contacts - are by all phones in the house and that there are first aid kits, fire extinguishers and smoke alarms in appropriate places. Use of the stove and oven is best minimized and the carer should consider throwing the circuit breaker and disabling stove knobs if they are concerned about safety. Similarly, the water heater temperature should be kept below scalding hot to avoid burns.

A fall is an ever present risk in dementia, but a few simple measures can really help reduce the risk. Get rid of clutter and don't rearrange furniture too much, as it can be disorienting. Make sure there is adequate lighting throughout the home, especially on stairways. For more information and to order a copy of the book, visit the Mayo Clinic website on www.mayoclinic.com.

Source

Mayo Clinic 26th April 2003