Alzheimer's Disease: Home Safety Information (cont.)
What are the Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?
There is no "typical" person with Alzheimer's. There is tremendous
variability among people with Alzheimer's disease in their behaviors and symptoms. At present,
there is no way to predict how quickly the disease will progress in any one
person, nor to predict the exact changes that will occur. We do know, however,
that many of these changes will present problems for caregivers. Therefore,
knowledge and prevention are critical to safety.
People with Alzheimer's disease have memory problems and cognitive impairment (difficulties
with thinking and reasoning), and eventually they will not be able to care for
themselves. They may experience confusion, loss of judgment, and difficulty
finding words, finishing thoughts, or following directions. They also may
experience personality and behavior changes. For example, they may become
agitated, irritable, or very passive. Some may wander from home and become lost.
They may not be able to tell the difference between day and night, and they may
wake up, get dressed, and start to leave the house in the middle of the night
thinking that the day has just started. They may suffer from losses that affect
vision, smell, or taste.
These disabilities are very difficult, not only for the person with
Alzheimer's disease, but
for the caregiver, family, and other loved ones as well. Caregivers need
resources and reassurance to know that while the challenges are great, there are
specific actions to take to reduce some of the safety concerns that accompany
Alzheimer's disease.
General Safety Concerns
People with Alzheimer's disease become increasingly unable to take
care of themselves. However, individuals will move through the disease in their
own unique manner. As a caregiver, you face the ongoing challenge of adapting to
each change in the person's behavior and functioning. The following general
principles may be helpful.
- Think prevention. It is very difficult to predict what a person
with Alzheimer's disease might do. Just because something has not yet occurred, does not mean
it should not be cause for concern. Even with the best-laid plans, accidents
can happen. Therefore, checking the safety of your home will help you take
control of some of the potential problems that may create hazardous
situations.
- Adapt the environment. It is more effective to change the
environment than to change most behaviors. While some Alzheimer's disease behaviors can be
managed with special medications prescribed by a doctor, many cannot. You
can make changes in an environment to decrease the hazards and stressors
that accompany these behavioral and functional changes.
- Minimize danger. By minimizing danger, you can maximize
independence. A safe environment can be a less restrictive environment where
the person with Alzheimer's disease can experience increased security and more mobility.
Next: Is it Safe to Leave the Person with Alzheimer's Disease Alone? »
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