Home safety is of paramount importance to everyone. Because people with dementia may show a certain degree of deterioration of their body capacity and senses, it is not uncommon to see many domestic accidents occurring. Moreover, owing to the gradual deterioration of decision-making ability, memory and judgement, the chances of domestic accidents occurring increase further. For instance, the client may forget to switch off cooking appliances or use dangerous materials wrongly.
- Take precautions against falling down or accidents in daily life, simplify home decorations, and reduce the number of unnecessary objects at home
- Ensure that there is sufficient lighting in the room
- Avoid frequent movements of furniture or changes in the home environment which are difficult to adapt to
- Avoid installing full-length mirrors and glass panels together, so as to reduce clients' confusion of the two
- Telephones should be placed in areas in which they can be easily seen, and should be brightly colored and have big buttons
- A phone list of relatives, friends and other important parties should be placed in an area where it can be easily seen, for use in emergency cases
- Common possessions, such as glasses, dentures, hearing aids and drugs should be placed in areas where they can be easily seen and reached. In addition, they should be labeled appropriately for easy discrimination.
- Prepare big and clear calendars or diaries and notice boards for jotting down non-emergency issues.
Authors:
Dr. Jenny CC Chung
Cheung Ka Lung, Gordorf
Ng Po Chu, Ashley
To Chung Yiu, Anthony
TAG: Home Guidelines Safety