Alzheimer’s disease. Caring: Preparing the home for an Alzheimer’s patient

Caring for Alzheimer’s patients at home can be difficult. In taking the proper steps to become a successful carer, it is essential that you prepare your home for your loved one’s arrival. Likewise, if your loved one’s Alzheimer’s is mild and they still live on their own, it is important that you ensure that their living environment is safe.

Not only must space often be reorganised, but every room in the house that your loved one will be using should also be made as accident-proof as possible. There are many basic guidelines that can be followed in order to provide safe and effective caring in the home. Your loved one’s GP can arrange a visit from an occupational therapist, who can provide advice on maintaining a safe environment. The visit would normally include measuring heights of furniture, widths of doorways and checking the person’s ability to do simple tasks, like prepare a hot drink.

To ensure a thorough approach, a room-by-room checklist can be very helpful. The following guidelines can be used for the carer’s own home if the loved one is living with the carer, or for an elderly loved one’s home.

Note: Not all of these recommendations may benefit your loved one’s situation.

Entrance and exit

• Can the house or flat be entered and exited safely?
• Is there a secure railing?
• Are the stairs or ramps in good repair, without loose or uneven boards?
• Can visitors be seen before they enter the house or flat?
• Does the lock work?
• Can the lock be opened easily for an emergency exit?
• Is the entrance/exit well lit and free of clutter?
• Do you have an emergency exit plan and more than one fire escape route?

Living areas

• Are the pathways uncluttered?
• Can your loved one get up and down from the sofa or chair safely? If not, consider investing in chairs with straight backs, armrests and firm seats. Adding a firm cushion to existing pieces of furniture adds height to them, making it easier to move.
• Can windows and doors be opened easily and locked securely?
• Can the television be easily managed?
• Can the light switches be manipulated easily? If not, try touchable lamps or those that react to sound.
• Are electrical cords and telephone wires secured and out of the way to prevent tripping? Do not run cords under furniture or rugs where they can become frayed or damaged. Secure them with tape, not sharp tacks or nails.
• Adapt the telephone by changing it for one with large buttons to ease dialling. Have frequently called and emergency numbers programmed into speed dial or tape these numbers to the phone receiver. Keep a portable or tabletop phone where it can be accessed in case of a fall.