Dementia Care: Not So Common Sense Safety Tips Part 3/3

Part 3: Preventing Falls

Falls can be life threatening for the elderly. You need to take extra care to ensure that your loved one with memory loss doesn’t take a tumble.

Good Shoes
It’s really important that your family member with dementia is wearing solid sturdy shoes that fit. Ill fitting and unstable shoes can cause falls. Flip-flops are never okay, even in the summer.
Proper Lighting
Always keep the lights on. Walk ways need to be well lit. It’s important that grandma is able to see where she’s going if she’s going to avoid falls. Poorly lit rooms only compound the disorientation that your loved one with memory loss is already experiencing.
Clear the Clutter
Keep floors and other surfaces clutter-free. Remove objects such as magazine racks, coffee tables and floor lamps.
Don’t Pull the Rug Out From Under Grandma
Rugs can create a dicey situation for the elderly and cause falls. If your rug is on a wood floor it can slip along the floor when your family member with dementia steps on it. The edges of rugs are another potential hazard and often curl up making them especially precarious to the feet of a loved one with Parkinson’s as they tend to shuffle their feet when they walk. The best idea is to simply not have rugs in your home. If you absolutely must have that beautiful Oriental rug that your great aunt gave you, make sure to put a non slip rug pad under the rug to keep it from sliding around.

Don’t miss out make sure to read Part 1: Driving in The Car and Part 2: Wandering of our Not So Common Sense Safety Tips.