Promoting Safety for Patients with Dementia

Dementia affects an individual in so many ways. For instance, there will be changes in behavior which can lead to dilemmas within the family. Also, there will be obvious loss of memory. According to research, in England, there are around 500 thousand people diagnosed with such medical condition. In the US, Alzheimer’s, which is a type of dementia, affects millions of people. In fact, it is also considered one of the major causes of both accidents and deaths.
Age groups 65 and older are vulnerable to different types of dementia. Though it is still ambiguous as to how you can avoid such condition, identifying the dementia early and doing the proper steps can prolong its progression. It has a great health impact in the US considering it affects around 15.4 million families that provide 17.5 billion hours of unpaid hours in taking care of their relative who has the condition. Adding up the hours that weren’t exactly paid, according to research, it has reached $216.4 billion in 2012 alone.

Accidents and Dementia

One of the biggest worries by relatives and family members is the probability of accidents among patients with dementia. In recent years, accidental slips during the night have become a prevalent problem especially those that are disorientated and are experiencing memory loss. Since patients can endanger themselves, it is imperative to know how to promote safety for patients with such condition.

Ways on How to Prevent Accidents

1. Safety Inside the Home

For patients with dementia, it is important that they are familiar with everything inside the home. This is known to prevent confusion especially during morning. For patients diagnosed with dementia, it is important that routines are established. A huge part is the arrangement of the home. The furniture should be in the place where the patient remembers them.

For those preparing and arranging the environment, you have to consider that they no longer have the coordination that they used to have when they were young. Getting rubber bathtub flooring is a great way to prevent slips. It is also important to consider the loose rugs and carpets as safety hazards to the geriatric patient.

2. Avoid Accidental Overdose or Ingestion of Poison

It is common for elderly patients to mistaken any type of clear liquid as water. Therefore, kerosene ingestion is a common scenario among those who have dementia. For patients taking in regular dose of their medicine, it is common that they take more than what is required. As a caregiver, it is imperative that you provide them with the right medicines at the right time. For some homes, it is a good idea to keep the medicines away from the elderly or to dispose the expired ones.

3. Provide Safety Outside the House

It is common for elderly patients with dementia to wander. It is important that they do not get lost. Tracking them through a GPS can be a great way to make a big difference in healthcare. Also, carrying the proper identification is imperative since some of them may not be able to remember who they are.

There are a lot of things that you can do in order to prevent the patient from getting in an accident both inside and outside the home. These three simple to follow suggestions can help save people’s lives. The most important thing, of course, is to provide 24/7 professional medical care to those with dementia.