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Alzheimer's Disease - Caring for Your Loved One Keeping Your Loved One Safe Many of the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can cause safety concerns. Symptoms such as forgetfulness and confusion can lead to unsafe situations. Try some of these hints to keep your loved one—and those around him or her—safe. Organize a Safe Living Space Look for things in each room that may be hazards for someone who is forgetful or confused. Decide what should be changed. It can be hard for people with Alzheimer's to adjust to changes, so alter as little as possible. Try these tips for dealing with common hazards. Reduce Clutter Clutter makes confusion worse. It can also lead to falls. Keep living areas, walkways, and stairs free from clutter. Secure Stoves and Appliances Stoves and other appliances may be turned on and forgotten or used the wrong way. Remove or cover knobs or turn stoves and microwaves off by the outlet when not in use. Also, unplug or put away irons, toasters, blenders, power tools, and other electrical equipment. Remove Other Hazards Turn the hot-water heater temperature down to below 120°F to prevent burns. Remove locks from the inside of bathroom and bedroom doors. Keep pool or hot-tub areas locked. Check stored food for spoilage. A person with Alzheimer's may not realize when food has gone bad. Keep purses, keys, bills, checkbooks, and other important items out of sight. People with Alzheimer's may move or hide objects and not recall doing so. Remove throw rugs that may slide or bunch up and cause a fall. Lock up hazardous substances, such as cleaning supplies, matches, and prescription drugs. Put car keys where they won't be found. Prevent Driving For a person with Alzheimer's, driving may not be safe. Your loved one may not want to give up driving. But for everyone's sake, do as much as you can to prevent him or her from getting behind the wheel. Have an authority figure, such as a doctor, lawyer, or insurance agent, tell your loved one not to drive. Call your local department of motor vehicles. Some states require a driving test when a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Limit access to the car. Hide the keys and keep the car locked up. Try storing the car out of sight. Buy an ID bracelet for your loved one to wear. Control Wandering Persons with Alzheimer's disease may become restless and confused. They may wander around the house or even leave the house and get lost. Put night-lights in hallways and bathrooms. Install door locks that are hard for your loved one to operate. Ask neighbors to call you if they see your loved one out alone. Go with your loved one if he or she insists on leaving the house. Avoid arguing or yelling. Rather, gently persuade him or her to return home. Call your local Alzheimer's Association for details about programs that help with wandering. When to Call the Doctor A change in your loved one's behavior may be due to Alzheimer's disease. But it could also be a sign of some other problem. A sudden, rapid change may be caused by another illness that can be treated. Making sure other health problems are treated may help you and your loved on cope better with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

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