5 Ways to Ensure Safety for Seniors With Dementia
Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels
Caring for a loved one with dementia can be both physically taxing and emotionally rewarding. When caring for a senior with a mental disorder, one of the most important considerations is their safety. Short-term memory loss can lead to wandering and disorientation, so taking precautions as a family can lower the danger of injury and accidents. Here are five critical methods to ensure your loved one is safe
Monitor Physical Health
Depending on the severity, someone with dementia can fail to recognize and communicate the symptoms of an illness or discomfort. This gives you a huge role in ensuring no sickness can prevail without being noticed. Have a plan whereby you’ll check vital signs like body temperature and blood pressure frequently, preferably daily.
Remember to also schedule clinical check-ups with your local healthcare center, which allows quick detection of underlying health concerns. During these visits, the doctor will evaluate and guide you on the necessary lifestyle adjustments to continue making, such as introducing new diets and using nootropics.
Find an Assisted Living Community
These facilities are dedicated to seniors by helping them live in a setting where they feel appreciated and valued. They usually have highly skilled teams and tranquil environments, which can help a loved one with dementia enjoy a quality life while getting the personalized care they need.
When selecting an assisted living center, look for one specializing in memory care and with a good track record of handling seniors with dementia. For example, Longhouse Assisted Living has provided seniors with memory care and assisted living for years. It is worth noting that the environment one lives in has a significant impact on how they deal with dementia. A good facility will adopt the concept of natural inclination, which underscores the significance of cohesive, communal dwelling.
Establish a Routine
Someone struggling with memory decline needs to be put on a structured, constant schedule to boost memory ability. In the domestic setting, introduce them to a well-planned routine for meals, medication, and other activities like exercise and social interactions. You also need to split the different tasks into smaller bits and, where possible, simplify the steps.
Introduce visual cues like calendars and pictorial charts to help them follow the routine effectively, leading to independence. While making the plans, be specific to your loved one’s abilities and preferences. This will help curate a routine that they’ll find easy to follow.
Foster Emotional Well-Being
Offer the right emotional support by showing compassion, understanding, and validating their feelings and concerns. Be their shoulder to lean on, but most importantly, learn to make them see the positive side of life. Always keep your conversations purposeful and exciting to cultivate a deep connection.
Help them improve their social life by fostering interaction with friends, family, and community members, as this prevents isolation, which can lead to greater mental health problems such as anxiety and sadness. Due to mobility challenges, encourage them to join relevant online communities and live a healthy social life.
Secure the Home Environment
The living space for someone with a mental condition needs to be free from hazards. To reduce the chances of slips or trips, begin by keeping the floor spaces free from clutter. Be thorough to ensure there aren’t any electrical cords or loose rugs. If there are slippery floors, it may be great to modify them and install anti-slip flooring materials.
There should also be enough handrails for the hallways, stairs, and bathroom grab bars. For an extra layer of security, install locks and motion detector alarms at the different doors to ensure no wandering goes undetected, which tends to be common when the individual is agitated or disoriented. Remember also to have secure storage points for medications and household chemicals like cleaning products.
Endnote
It’s paramount to prioritize the safety of seniors living with dementia to keep them away from bodily harm. You have several ways to ensure this, including making the homestead friendlier and putting them on a schedule. Remember to remain consistent and seek professional assistance.
