Here’s What You Don’t FULLY Understand About Caregiving

Sometimes, what you think you know is wrong.

5 Things You ‘Know,’ But You Don’t Know

When I was a kid, and I heard “adults” saying: “Oh, they grow up so fast,” I probably rolled my eyes. I mean, how obvious can you get, right?!

Now I have two sons – both in their early 20s. Now I know what “they grow up so fast” means.

Similarly, I didn’t need my dad and grandma to get Alzheimer’s Disease to know that “dementia is bad.”

But it’s a bit like “they grow up so fast.” Sometimes, the things you’ll nod your head (in agreement) to, don’t really sink in until you’ve had a certain amount or type of experience.

So, here’s what I’ll do in this video. I’d like to list five (5) things that probably seem so obvious that I don’t think I ever would have denied them.

At the same time, from where I sit now, I realize that I didn’t actually appreciate the full significance of any of the five until I became the daily caregiver for my dad around 2008.

(The video version of this presentation is available on our YouTube channel.)

My dad died in 2016 from complications related to his Alzheimer’s. I have had several years to decompress and reflect on my family’s experiences with that dreaded disease.

So, I don’t say that just being my dad’s caretaker illuminated my mind. And I won’t pretend that merely listing these things for you will illuminate yours.

At the same time, I feel like encouraging you to slow down and maybe meditate on these things might be worthwhile. So, okay…

Dementia can change your loved one’s entire personality.

If, pre-2008, you’d have asked me: “Can Alzheimer’s alter personality?” I’m sure I’d have said, “You bet.” Nevertheless… Here’s what I thought when I started caretaking.

I thought my dad would continue to be the same extroverted, happy-go-lucky, laid-back person I had always believed him to be. – just with increasing memory problems. It took months – and countless frustrating, tearful, and sometimes (frankly) scary interactions – to learn that Alzheimer’s had flipped his personality. Almost all my dad’s traits that I just listed literally turned into their opposites. He was withdrawn and isolated, combative, agitated, etc.

Now… a case can be made that all these “negatives” had always been there, deep down. Everyone has a “dark side,” kind of thing.

So, maybe, for most of his life he was just really good at hiding or restraining those parts. And, maybe, when he got Alzheimer’s, he just couldn’t or wouldn’t hold back any more. Regardless…

What you “get” – when caring for a dementia-afflicted loved one – is often quite different from what you’re used to, what you expect, and especially what you hope for. So, be prepared for anything! Or, to put it another way, realize that the person you’re dealing with – while they may resemble the one you’ve known and loved your entire life – might act like a complete stranger.

Being a caretaker can make you feel really depressed.

Again, is this a surprise? Even people with no experience with Alzheimer’s probably know that it’s a horrible – and terminal – disease. Watching a loved one deteriorate is depressing.

But I thought that I’d at least feel as if I were doing something worthwhile by helping my dad.

And, don’t get me wrong, it was worthwhile, objectively speaking. In hindsight, I do cherish the fact that I was present for and with my dad.

Subjectively, though, when everything was going on, I felt miserable. Caretaking frequently felt futile and useless. And I felt physically sick much of the time. Maybe it’s just me.

It wasn’t just the understandable fact that my dad didn’t appreciate what I was doing. It was that he resented and actively resisted me. The whole thing was a fight practically from day one.

I locked the doors from the inside. I hid his tools. I disabled the car and – ultimately – pushed his long-time doctor to petition the state to get his driver’s license revoked. I was the enemy.

I knew that the steps I took had to be taken. But it was also painfully obvious my dad was being systematically cut off from all the things that gave him freedom and that he always loved to do.

I tried to remind myself that his disease was really to blame – not me. But that didn’t stop me from being overcome with guilt and regret. I’ve gotten more into all this in a dedicated video.

So: If being a caregiver makes you feel awful, you’re not alone. I felt horrible.

And, on the wavelength of things I didn’t fully know: Know that your life – and the life of your loved one – may be permanently changed. Relatedly…

You will need to take breaks.

Not taking a break can lead to serious consequences – not least is your own emotional or physical breakdown and burnout. Who would deny it?

By the same token, you can’t exactly leave an Alzheimer’s sufferer by themselves for any length of time. It may be difficult for you to prepare and eat meals in peace or to get an uninterrupted night’s sleep, let alone to take a mini-vacation. And this can go on for years.

In our case, my dad would live nearly eight (8) years after his diagnosis. That’s a long time to be someone’s 24/7 caretaker all by yourself.

So… how are you going to take those needed breaks?

As I’ve mentioned in other presentations, if you have no able or willing family members to relieve you from time to time, or in an emergency, then you may have to turn to professionals. Adult daycare, home-care providers, and (what are called) respite-care specialists can all play rôles, here. But, however you get help, you need to make sure that you take care of yourself.

Ultimately, a nursing home or other long-term care facility may be the only game in town. And on that note, try to more fully appreciate that…

Your loved one may end up in a nursing home.

And when I say “end up,” I don’t mean to suggest that it’s inevitable. I don’t believe that.

And, in my case, I don’t mean to refuse responsibility for the decision to get him admitted. It was my choice.

But, honestly, early on, I did a lot of “ostriching.” If I had seriously faced the fact that a nursing home was a possible – or eventual – outcome, I’d like to think that I would’ve planned for it.

I’d say: “I would have planned better.” Except, to be frank, I didn’t do any real planning at all.

No one in my family wanted to think about dad being in a nursing home. – including me.

And I put off any serious thought about that option until I was totally exhausted with caretaking. By that time, our options were severely limited. Even among homes we could “afford” (quote, unquote), our top two (2) choices were unavailable. They both had year-long waiting lists.

And because I was emotionally broken when I started to look into various homes, it’s likely that I didn’t investigate as thoroughly as I might have. – or, quite possibly, as I should have.

Since you can’t reason well when you’re under duress, my evaluation of the options – and my decision – were probably compromised also. It would have been healthier for me to admit, from the get go, that I couldn’t really rule out nursing homes.

If I’d have done only that, our decision-making process would have gone much better – and, possibly, yielded a better outcome. To top it off, I didn’t fully appreciate that…

A nursing home isn’t a perfect solution.

Again, who would say otherwise? For one thing, it’s obvious – at a general level – that when we’re deciding between two or more options, each choice will have positives and negatives.

Duh. Right? In hindsight, it seems pitifully naïve of me to have ever hoped that a nursing home would be “the answer to all my prayers.” Of course, nursing homes have their own drawbacks.

Some of these disadvantages are both major and pretty obvious – like the fact that they have a staggering, current average cost in the vicinity of $8,000 per month.

Another serious downside – one that I intend to make the focus of its own video – is the arguable tendency of nursing homes to over-medicate their patient-residents. I don’t want to go too far down this rabbit trail right now. Let’s just say that – in my opinion – my dad’s nursing home medicated him just to make him docile.

But it was hard for me to understand all this when I was at the end of my rope with homecare. The situation became seriously unmanageable. And I became desperate for an escape route.

So, at the risk of concluding with another one of those aphorisms that’s easy to say, but hard to appreciate or do… Try to stay as clear-headed as possible.

From a practical standpoint, try to have open and honest conversations with every interested person in your circle: from family and friends to doctors, lawyers, and so on.

Solicit advice from as many reputable sources as possible. And run your options past your family “think tank.” Try not to exclude any possibilities.

In two (2), planned, follow-up videos, I’ll expand on some of these ideas and explore related topics like “things I wish I’d known when I started off caretaking.” In the very next installment, already written, I’ll suggest three (3) things that I would do immediately, if I had to be a caregiver all over again.

But if you found something of interest or of use in this video, I invite you to click “Like.” It helps YouTube know that you appreciated the presentation.

If you’d be interested in hearing some of my tips, then please Subscribe to the channel (if you haven’t already) and don’t forget to make sure your notifications are turned on – the “bell” icon.

And if you think someone else might get something out of the video, kindly share the original link on your social media pages.

Either way, though, I thank you for watching.

And I wish you all the best for your caretaking efforts.

March 8, 2018January 7, 2019

How Do You Alzheimer’s Proof a Car?

There are a number of reasons why automobiles pose particular risks for persons afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Most obviously, a motor vehicle is a 2,000-lb missile in the hands of an impaired driver. And, if it is anything, Alzheimer’s is a mental impairment.

But not all perils presuppose that the Alzheimer’s sufferer is in the driver’s seat. Dangers abound for passengers as well.

But there are several things that you can do with a car to minimize the risk to the patient and to others.

(Readers will observe that there are numerous points of contact between “Alzheimer’s proofing” and childproofing. For a few thoughts on that topic, see my overview, HERE.)

Let’s begin by distinguishing various categories of danger. On the one hand, there are dangers to persons inside of a car and, on the other hand, there are dangers to persons outside of a car.

Minimizing Dangers Inside of a Car

To add a further layer of complexity, this arguably has two versions to it. On one version, the Alzheimer’s sufferer is the driver (see the subsection “Supervise, Supervise, Supervise!” below) and on another (probably the more usual case for readers), he or she is a passenger.

1. Utilize Your Child Safety Locks

As discussed in a previous article (HERE), many childproofing suggestions pull double duty for Alzheimer’s proofing. In this case, we note that many (even most) sedans come with special safety latches built into the rear doors. On the majority of passenger cars built in the United States since the 1980s, turning on this safety feature is as easy as flipping as switch.

The function of the child lock is easily summarized. Most doors can be opened (and many can be unlocked) from within the cabin by simply pulling on the interior door handle. However, once the child-lock system has been engaged, the door cannot be opened from the inside. Even if the door is unlocked, the occupant has to be released from the cabin by someone operating the exterior door handle.

The only “loophole” is that the exterior door handle can be operated by reaching outside the vehicle – for example, through an open window. So, in addition to using the child-safety locks…

2. Utilize Your Window-Switch Locks

On most modern vehicles that are equipped with power-window switches, there is a master panel located on the driver’s door panel. On that door panel, usually, there is a “lock” or “window lock” button situated near the window switch assembly. The button gives the driver the ability to override auxiliary door switches so that the window positions on passenger doors cannot be changed without the driver’s authorization. Of course, it was designed primarily with children in mind. The idea was to prevent youngsters from playing around with the windows – perhaps raising and lowering them haphazardly, or at inappropriate times – and possibly getting one of their little digits crushed in the process.

But, as in other cases, what works to prevent children from getting hurt sometimes also translates into a workable solution for keeping Alzheimer’s patients out of trouble.

3. Clean up the Cabin Interior

This one may seem commonsensical, but it’s worth mentioning, nonetheless. Don’t leave a lot of trash lying around – anywhere. But inside the vehicle, it is impractical to expect that you can thwart your loved one’s every peculiar gesture while you’re driving the car. In other words, you may notice that mom or grandpa is straining to pick something up, but there will be little that you can do about it when you’re operating the vehicle. Before you put an Alzheimer’s sufferer in your car, double check that there is nothing dangerous (or just disgusting) within his or her visual field. If you encounter trash, discard it! If it’s something that you need to keep with you – like pepper spray or a first-aid kit, then at least put it inside of the glovebox. Most gloveboxes can be locked with your key.

4. Consider Using a Seatbelt-Button “Guard”

I have seen a few of these. Don’t be put off if the gizmo is stocked in the childproofing section – or even in pet supplies. The last thing you want is for grandma to release her seatbelt before it is safe to do so. Placing a “guard” over the seatbelt button can make it more difficult for grandma to inadvertently (or advertently!) trigger the retraction of her safety belt. Doubtless there are various models available, but the general idea is that releasing the guard takes a bit more dexterity than just depressing the seatbelt button. Alzheimer’s certainly diminishes fine motor skills, making it less likely that grandma (or whoever) will be able to defeat the extra layer of security. Remember: we’re trying to stack the odds in our favor.

Minimizing Dangers Outside of the Car

1. Restricting the Keys

One important consideration is going to be access to the vehicle’s keys. This is very basic. If a person has some form of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s, it may be necessary to restrict access to those keys for a number of reasons.

Why Might You Have to Restrict Key Access?

Depending upon the degree of impairment, it might be that the person in question can no longer safely or reliably operate a motor vehicle at all. So, one primary reason to restrict key access is simply to prevent your loved one from being able to drive the car on the road in the usual sense. Even starting a car and leaving it to idle in place can pose a danger (for example, with respect to things like carbon-monoxide buildup – click HERE for recommended CO detectors), especially if the vehicle is enclosed inside of a garage. (Of course, it’s a good practice to place carbon monoxide detectors inside of the garage and inside of the living space. I personally recommend getting a low-level detector, even though it costs a bit more, because of the fact that most detectors do you not report low-level conditions that can be dangerous over time.)

How Can You Restrict Access to the Keys?

A. Never leave the keys lying around; hide them. (As a special case, especially do not leave your keys inside of the ignition!)

Alzheimer’s is peculiar. People with the condition have periods of lucidity. Do not count on your aged mom, dad, grandma or grandpa being unable to recall that these keys go with that car. The best strategy is a comprehensive one, with layers of redundancy.

The first thing to do is to place the keys inside of a lock box or inside of a locked drawer or safe.

B. Alternatively, secure the keys some other way – for example, keep them on your person.

If it is inconvenient or otherwise infeasible to lock the car keys away someplace, another option is just to hang onto them yourself. Add your aging relative’s car key onto your own keychain, for instance. Or just keep their entire key ring in a pocket.

As I have mentioned in other places, I am a big believer in redundancy. So even after you have restricted access to the keys (e.g., by locking them safely out-of-reach or keeping hold of them), I would still recommend restricting access to the vehicle in other ways.

2. Controlling Entry to the Garage

If the car is inside of a garage, then you can do several things. Firstly, you can secure the door from the house to the garage – if such a door exists. Of course, the obvious first pass attempt would be to keep the door locked in the typical sense. If this is the route that you wish to go, a double-keyed deadbolt would be advisable.

In my dad’s case, I found a little gadget called a door “Guardian” and installed it on the relevant door. When engaged, the ingenious device holds the door closed, even if the usual locking mechanisms have been unlocked. The Guardian can be mounted up high, which is advantageous because I found that my dad seemed not to even notice that it was there. It’s also ideal for the present application because the disengagement of the Guardian, while easily accomplished by an adult possessed of all his or her mental faculties, is complex enough to frustrate a person with diminished cognition.

It may also be necessary to stow the garage-door openers, to prevent the Alzheimer’s-afflicted individual from gaining access to the vehicle from the driveway. However, I would also recommend securing the main entryway, to lessen or eliminate the possibility that mom or grandpa will be able to get outside unsupervised.

3. Defeating the Starting System

Another thing that you can do is install (or have installed) an inline switch between the vehicle’s battery and the starting circuit. The function of such a switch is basically to disable the car’s starter, even if dad or grandma get past your other measures. An alternative would be to have a full alarm system put on the car (which might not be such a bad idea, for other reasons). Many vehicle security systems include a “starter-interrupt relay” that prevents the car from being started – even with the key in the ignition.

(For specific product recommendations, see HERE.)

4. Sell, Donate, or Otherwise Get Rid of the Car

A final suggestion – and a harder pill to swallow for some families – is to simply get rid of grandpa’s car. Of course, this doesn’t safeguard against the Alzheimer’s patient absconding with someone else’s car. But, truthfully, such a situation is probably out of the realm of the normal. Alzheimer’s decreases cognitive function. A sufferer is unlikely to be able to devise a plot to steal your car. What is more typical is that dad or grandma simply wants to do what he or she has always done: drive. So, they go to the usual place to find the key and try the usual things to get to the familiar car. The name of the game is Making It Difficult. But there is no substitute for supervision.

Supervise, Supervise, Supervise!

Even after you have secured the keys; even after you have interrupted the battery; even after you have secured the garage doors or emptied the garage altogether; there is no replacement for supervision. In many ways, a person with Alzheimer’s is like a child. Surrounded with environmental perils, such an individual lacks the discrimination to avoid (or get out of) danger. The bottom line? Your loved one needs your constant and watchful supervision.

When Should You Begin Alzheimer’s Proofing?

See here:

What Do We Mean by “Alzheimer’s Proofing”?

February 25, 2018February 25, 2018

Alzheimer’s Proofing Vs. Baby Proofing: An Overview

I have had the experience of having to make alterations around the house to better accommodate my Alzheimer’s-afflicted dad. As I reflect on these changes, and prepare to summarize them for web consumers, I am mindful that I have also been in the position of baby proofing a home for new arrivals.

I started thinking about some of the ways these two experiences were similar, and about other respects in which they were quite different. I offer a few thoughts as a sort of primer to my upcoming series on Alzheimer’s proofing your home.

When should you start baby proofing?

Most babies start crawling around eight months, however, many of them start crawling considerably earlier than this. A crawling infant will soon start pulling him- or herself up onto his or her feet, which means various surfaces will never again be out of reach. One recommendation for new parents would be to begin baby proofing as soon as the pregnancy test comes back positive! However, for those who found themselves in the position of having a newborn, but of not having a baby-proofed “pad,” all hope would by no means be lost at this point. Still, such parents would be highly encouraged to get started right away with their baby-proofing efforts.

Although it might strike first-time moms and dad as odd to baby proof a home when their little Bitsy Boo can’t really move much, veteran parents know all too well the surprising rapidity with which Munchkin will be “getting into” things. The moral of this story is obvious: it’s never too early to start taking precautions against Sweet’ums injuring him- or herself.

When should you start Alzheimer’s proofing?

Of course, the same logic can be applied to those at immanent risk of, or recently diagnosed with, Alzheimer’s or it’s precursor, mild cognitive impairment. In some respects, it might behoove people at various stages of life to begin making small changes around the house, just to lessen the extremity of any adjustments that are needed later in life. In other words, maybe we should all start Alzheimer’s proofing our digs for that unhappy day in the future when someone we care about becomes someone that we must care for in a house that is not up to the challenges dementia.

Let’s look at some of the similarities between baby proofing and Alzheimer’s proofing one’s living quarters.

Differences, Similarities, and Other Odds and Ends

Making the Environment Safer and More Controlled

Unfortunately, one thing that babies and (advanced) Alzheimer’s sufferers have in common is a low level of cognitive function.[1] For present purposes, this means that both classes of individual are unable to correctly and reliably avoid environmental perils. It is therefore necessary for caregivers to rearrange the environment to minimize particular risks.

Here are some tips to save both children and the elderly (or otherwise impaired) from damage and danger.

Manage cords

Power cords present a problem for both babies and Alzheimer’s victims. For both, there is a danger of electrical shock. But they are also a tripping hazard.[2] Use nylon (“zip”) ties to keep electrical and other cables well-maintained and out of eyesight (as much as feasible).

In a similar vein, running connecting cords through conduit can keep entertainment centers and personal-computer workstations better-managed and less likely to be messed with. (Split-loom tubing is also quite effective.)

Cover outlets

Speaking of electrical shock, put outlet caps into all accessible electrical sockets to shield little ones – and not-so-little ones – from possible electrocution.[3] More protection may be afforded by screw-in outlet cover plates or self-closing outlets. (For an additional layer (literally) of security, position furniture so that it obscures access to outlets.[4]) On the flip side, dementia sufferers periodically attempt to do things (like plugging in vacuums or rewiring outlets) that, when they were compos mentis, they were accustomed to doing.

I once discovered my dad, Jim (read his story HERE), “scouring the floor” (according to his explanation) with sugar granules – because he thought the floor ought to be cleaned, but I had hidden all the chemicals. Who’s to say that he wouldn’t have gotten the notion to try to perform the duties of an electrician using only a ballpoint pen clip or a spoon?

Consider further: sockets are presumably going to be at eye level for most youngsters, and Punkin’ might be tempted to put items like forks, etc., into them. Therefore, both parents and Alzheimer’s caregivers ought to endeavor to keep flatware secured in a (high?) cabinet where neither Lil’ Bit nor grandma can reach.

Lock knives away

While on the subject of eating utensils, tableware and the like, be sure to keep cutlery safely tucked away from curious youths as well as confused seniors. Magnetic locks can serve that purpose.

Cushion sharp or dangerous edges

There will undoubtedly be a couple of bumps and hits as little ones figure out how to walk. However, you can do a few of things to stop inevitable spills from becoming major disasters. Adding soft spreads to hard surfaces on floors and furniture shields your children from getting badly bruised or cut in the event that they take a tumble. Introducing child-safe gates at the top or bottom (or both) of stairs means they can’t get up or down without an adult. Keeping your staircase sufficiently well-lit (and free of toys) helps ensure that there will be fewer falls.

Some of these suggestions are equally advisable for older adults. Putting some “corner guards” (also known as “bumper” cushions) or foam edging on coffee tables and the like can pull double duty saving baby noggins and adult legs/shins from hard knocks. After a certain level of disability is reached, well-secured handrails become nearly essential features for staircases.

Guard entry ways

This has a dual aspect. On the one hand, parents and dementia-sufferer supervisors alike might wish to invest in “finger protectors,” so that their charges digits don’t get crushed in a door-closing mishap. On the other hand, “elopement” is an ever-present factor in some contexts. For containment purposes, it is therefore advisable to install some sort of childproof or “Alzheimer”-proof lock mechanisms on exits.

Our home has three entryways. We employed a Guardian door brace on the passage into the garage, installed too high up for my dad to reach without causing a commotion. On the front door, I actually resorted to reversing the storm-door lock, so that you needed a key to exit the house. The back door was similarly controlled. Except, there, I put on a double-keyed deadbolt.

Have working CO and smoke detectors

Of course, with everyone locked up safe and sound, it is imperative to keep watch over fire (and related) hazards. Minimally, smoke and CO detectors should be placed throughout the living space, with special attention on sleeping areas.[5] (As an aside, readily available battery-powered CO detectors – like THIS and THIS – typically detect levels of CO in concentrations of 60 parts per million or greater. THIS ONE mentions 400 ppm on the bottom – which is a lot! For maximum peace of mind, obtain a low-level CO detector. Kidde makes the KN-COU-B and Defender makes its LL6070. We purchased an NSI model 3000 from our local heating and cooling company.) I also obtained a plug-in natural-gas detector and placed it outside of the laundry area (where we have the furnace and the gas-fueled water heater). Smoke detectors are widely available.

Secure medicines and chemicals

Store all pharmaceuticals securely, such as in a high-bolted cabinet. Never remove anything from its unique childproof holder unless you have need of it, and then be sure to return it. Bear in mind that “childproof” caps can prevent dementia patients from accessing drugs due to the loss of dexterity that accompanies their condition.

For children as well as Alzheimer’s-afflicted adults, do whatever it takes not to open medication in front of your youngster. For toddlers, the fear is that or he or she might attempt to mimic your actions.[6] For older adults suffering from cognitive impairment, one danger is that seeing the medication will prompt a recurring anxiety over whether or not it’s time to “take a pill.” This can cause all sorts of trouble.[7]

Shield both inquisitive and curious children as well as disoriented and restless seniors from cleaners and miscellaneous chemicals by putting those things away in locked or otherwise secured cupboards or by installing magnetized security latches (or THIS) that “catch” automatically when you close cabinet doors. Other devices are available for drawers as well.

Take precautions in the car

Just as you would protect your child[8] in your automobile by activating the now ubiquitous “child safety locks” on passenger doors, the same technology can likewise prevent older adults from exiting the vehicle in an untimely (and possibly dangerous) manner.[9]

Ensure that objects are age-suitable

At present, it may be easier to follow this principle as it concerns youngsters than as it pertains to “oldsters.” For instance, toys labeled “Infant” or “Ages 0 to 6 months” are probably safe for your baby.[10]

Or, again, there are intuitive dangers to look out for. A good rule of thumb is to guarantee that your kids’ toys are significantly larger than their open mouths, to avoid choking. Additionally, verify that every one of the parts joined to a toy – like a doll’s button eyes or a teddy bear’s bows – are securely affixed and can’t become detached with reasonably minimal effort.

But what does one look for with aged adults? At the time of this writing, product labels like “Not Recommended for Those 75 Years Old or Older” or “Ages 18-75” are not commonplace. And one reason is apparent. With young children, it is plausible to think that age warnings will apply to (nearly) 100% of the relevant class. To put it differently, and for the most part, all two-month olds will be at risk of choking on small parts. But this does not seem to be the case with the elderly. Put another way, not all 80-year olds experience the sort of cognitive decline that might prompt a product warning aimed at them.

Still, there are a growing number of product lines that are geared specifically at the Alzheimer’s and dementia-suffer “market.” (See, for instance, THIS PUZZLE for an example of the phraseology I’m talking about.)

Minimize miscellaneous environmental risks

In the case of children, other choking and nonspecific perils are almost ever present.

Bedrooms

You should ensure, for example, that your infant’s playpen has fastened rails. Mobiles with little hanging parts should be removed when infants graduate to pulling themselves upright. As children age, they may require rails installed on conventional beds in order to reduce the risk of falling out of bed.

In a similar way, seniors can benefit from specialized mobility rails that both reduce the chance of tumbling out of bed, but also provide a means for older people to help pull themselves up when transferring in and out of bed.

Living rooms

Besides the tips like covering outlets and securing televisions, already mentioned above, you might consider corralling fledgling walkers inside of a “play yard” or equivalent. This worked for my family.

But what about for older adults? Unless the person is “non-ambulatory” or wheel-chair confined, it is probably useless to attempt to keep a dementia suffer cordoned off in a single room. The best that you can hope for is to enrich the environment with activities that absorb his or her attention.

However, when the allure of handicrafts wears off, as it inevitably will, it is best to have a contingency plan. The failsafe for my dad was to control the points of entry into the house so that he would be unable to wander off. (See, again, the section subtitled “Guard entry ways,” above.)

Bathrooms

For young ones, the risks of drowning and electrocution are preeminent. To stop your infant from burning him- or herself during shower time, set your water heater to a low temperature. In case you’re redesigning, install “anti-scald” valves on new pipes. Hold or secure the toilet seat in a downward position to prevent the infant from splashing around and falling in. Ensure all shower items, and cleaning supplies are in upper cupboards or cabinets that the child can’t reach. Never leave the baby in the bathroom alone particularly not in a filled bathtub. The point bears repeating: The bottom line for babies and toddlers is supervision. You simply cannot leave them unattended.

But seniors typically present somewhat different challenges. The constellation of hazards mainly centers around the risk of falling. Also relevant is the fact that many Alzheimer’s-afflicted persons retain their adult desire for privacy. You cannot easily supervise a dementia patient while toileting or bathing. Thus, bathrooms are of particular concern.

There are safety steps that can be taken, however. Think about converting a shower, especially if a person must step over a ledge to enter, into a walk-in bathtub. Lay non-slip mats on the ground. Ensure that the medicine cabinet is locked or relocated.[11] Restrict access to electrical appliances such as hair dryers. (Refer back up to the section on magnetic and other cabinet locks.)

Kitchens

Children may view stovetop controls as great fun to pull and twist. Thankfully, they are usually out of reach, unless you have a “climber” on your hands. Get some knob covers. An appliance lock helps ensure that your little one can’t pull the entire oven door onto him- or herself.

Have something percolating or boiling on the stove? Burns are very common; tea can singe fifteen minutes after it’s been made. Keep hot beverages away from the edge of surfaces and put your cups down when playing with the babies. Turn pot handles away from the front of the stove, to minimize accessibility (little children tend to grab them). Additionally, various “stove guards” are available that offer extra layers of protection.

There’s really no way around it: the kitchen is a dangerous appliance. For those, like Alzheimer’s sufferers, whose cognitive faculties are comprised or undermined, it may be best to steer clear of this room entirely. My dad caused several (small) fires with paper towels carelessly placed onto the stovetop. The toaster is likewise troublesome. But heat and fires are not the only perils. Mental impairment can fail to prevent a person from drinking expired milk or eating improperly prepared meat. And in many kitchens, cleaning (and other) chemicals are sometimes found in close proximity to food. Mix ups can occur. Less dramatically, grandpa’s failure to thoroughly wash his hands can lead to the contamination of the cookie jar with something merely distasteful – such as granules of dog food – or, God forbid, with something potentially deadly – like drain-clearing crystals or rat poison. Lock the stuff up!

As stated previously, magnetic cabinet latches are a cheap and effective way to protect the aged as well as the young. My dad once attempted to make soup (we think) by placing a glass vessel on a stove burner. As it heated, the glass shattered and made quite a dangerous mess of things. Store glassware under lock and key.

Waste Disposal

Inquisitive children will attempt to get into anything you leave lying around. Relatedly, dementia-afflicted persons may become convinced that they have lost something – whether real or imagined – and begin rummaging through the garbage, putting themselves in danger. In case you’re discarding anything hazardous (e.g., batteries, broken glass, jagged metal, or plastic bags and packing material) it’s prudent to take it outside immediately. Alternatively, put the recycling and trash containers someplace your charges can’t reach.

Hallways

Ensure that hallways and walkways are clear, to minimize trips and falls.

Concluding Remarks

Alzheimer’s and baby proofing doesn’t totally dispose of the danger of damage, yet it does fundamentally diminish many of the most prevalent dangers. It’s about risk mitigation. Regardless of whether you’re in a new or old home, parts of your living space will always be in need of Alzheimer’s and baby proofing. Realistically, you can’t fully secure your place but you can reduce risk. Even if you are confident that you’ve performed a comprehensive “proofing,” chances are you’ve missed something. And it’ll be your charge that finds and exploits the weakness. No amount of child- or dementia-proofing should substitute for diligent watchfulness.

[1] Still, there are differences. Babies have this low functionality because their brains have not developed and grown as they are expected to in the coming years. Alzheimer’s patients, on the other hand, have brains that are at various levels of degeneration.

[2] A related danger is that electrical cords, when tripping over or pulled, can cause (sometimes heavy) appliances to fall on little noggins or on brittle feet. Children are periodically crushed to death by accidentally tipping onto themselves televisions and other massive pieces of furniture. See HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE.

[3] Parents: be mindful of the fact that some types of outlet cover could be potential choking hazards if, perchance, a child manages to pry them out of the socket (or to find one that was removed by an adult, but never replaced). An alternative is to search for covers that require two hands to remove or that feature cover plates that screw on.

[4] Just be sure that the furniture does not itself present a tipping risk. See, again, footnote #2.

[5] It is fairly intuitive that there is a greater danger while people are sleeping, since their senses and response times may be dulled. Caution is needed, however. For reasons that are probably too obvious to readers of this blog, babies and Alzheimer’s patients cannot be relied upon to react appropriately to detector alarms. Diligent supervision is always required.

[6] An added suggestion: If your child does see you taking medication, never refer to it as “candy.”

[7] Anyone who has spent time caring for Alzheimer’s sufferers probably realizes that routine tasks often become obsessions or, at the least, sources of great consternation. Even if you have just administered a dose of medication, an Alzheimer-afflicted senior can forget this and become distressed.

[8] Of course, there are numerous other safety tips that pertain to small children only. Most prominently, babies and little kids require special seating – e.g., rear-facing car seats are usually recommended up to a certain age or up to a particular weight. I will not get into such things here, as many internet sites are dedicated to these issues. Suffice it to say that parents should not use car seats with which they are unfamiliar. This should not be understood as a reason to avoid car seats, but as a motivator to familiarize oneself with your own model. Nowadays there are features that may have been added to newer seats that are not present on older models. Additionally, hand-me-down seats might have structural or other issues (like missing parts or lost directions) that render them unsafe or unwise to use. When in doubt, have a professional (e.g., a fire-department official) inspect your car seat and your installation. It might have been engaged in a crash or it might be past its termination date.

[9] One drawback is that such security measures are commonly installed on rear doors only.

[10] Still, a label is not a substitute for attentiveness. Also, keep an eye out for manufacturer recalls.

[11] For other reasons, like the high-humidity environment, it is probably unwise for anyone to keep pharmaceuticals in the bathroom.