Alzheimer's Disease: Caregiving: 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 caregiver, 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 reorganized, 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 caregiving in the home.

In order to ensure a thorough approach, a room-by-room checklist can be very helpful. The following guidelines can be used for the caregiver's own home if the loved one is living with the caregiver, 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 apartment 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 prior to their entering the house or apartment?
• Does the lock work?
• Can the lock easily be opened 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 walking 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 cords 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 the small buttons to larger push buttons to ease dialing. 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.

Reviewed by the doctors at the The Cleveland Clinic Neuroscience Center.

Kitchen

• Is the doorway accessible?
• Are the appliances in working order?
• Can the faucets of the sink be manipulated? If not, consider extended hand levers to make them easier to turn.
• Can the refrigerator and freezer be opened and closed?
• Can the high and low cabinets be safely opened and closed?
• Is there adequate workspace?
• Can utensils, pots and pans, and food be safely reached?
• Can the stove controls and door be safely managed?
• Can the outlets be reached?
• Can food be safely transported to the eating area?
• Are sharp objects safely stored?
• Are flammables kept away from the stove area?
• Keep towels, curtains and other flammable items away from the range/stove.