Hi there, my name is Patrice. Welcome to my site. I am excited to share my knowledge about assisted living communities with you all today. When my mother reached her elder years, I was unable to provide her with the level of care she needed each day. I wanted her to receive the best of care without feeling like we abandoned her. I set her up in an assisted living community and visited on a regular basis. I want to use this site to talk about all of the benefits of utilizing assisted living facilities for your parents and other loved ones.
When a family member begins to show signs of suffering from Alzheimer's disease, it's important to visit a medical practitioner for an official diagnosis. Once you receive this information, your next order of business is to get the person into an assisted living facility. If there's a short waiting list for the facility and you believe that the person cannot cope living independently, it's logical to have him or her live with you for a period of time. Prior to the person's arrival, you'll want to assess any potential safety risks in your home and make the necessary changes. Here are some things that you'll need to do.
Install Additional Locks
Depending on the degree of the person's Alzheimer's disease, it may be necessary to install additional locks in your home. When you meet with representatives of the assisted living facility to get on the waiting list, these professionals can often provide some guidance in this area. For example, it's often useful to lock the window in the person's bedroom. He or she may decide to use the window to leave the home without your knowledge, but a lock will prevent this serious situation from taking place.
Remove Any Reachable Dangers
Take stock of anything that could pose a risk to your family member's safety and remove these items. For example, it's a good idea to get rid of candles, lighters and matches — these could pose a threat not only to the Alzheimer's patient, but also to the safety of your family and home. Depending on the severity of the person's illness, it might also be advantageous to lock up sharp kitchen utensils. Additionally, you should make sure that any firearms or other weapons are locked away in a gun safe. For anything you lock up, make sure to place the corresponding keys in an area in which they won't be found.
Add More Lights
Many people who suffer from Alzheimer's disease have a tendency to wander, which can be a concern even if your family member isn't able to get outside. Wandering around the home at night can lead to a fall and a serious injury, so make sure that you have night lights and other forms of illumination throughout the home. These will help to brighten the area so that if the person is wandering, he or she will be less likely to fall. At the same time, it's useful to eliminate potential tripping hazards, such as extension cords.
Work with your doctor your the assisted living facility for more information and help with Alzheimers care.
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