People with dementia should remain as independent and active as possible and continue as many of their usual pastimes for as long as they can.
While a person with dementia can prepare food, or can put the groceries away, these tasks should not be taken over. Those people who enjoy going on walks, trips and holidays should continue to do so.
Continuing to meet friends and relatives is particularly important. Maintaining your social life makes an important contribution to your continuing wellbeing.
It may be that new social opportunities need to be sought as dementia develops – this could include joining a group. It can be very helpful to meet others who are in a similar situation, for those with dementia and for their carers.
Safety in the home
It is important to minimise the potential for accidents and make your home as safe as possible. Avoid trips and falls by dealing with any worn carpets and potential trips over rugs. Declutter your home so there is less to trip over. Think about whether you may need hand rails on stairs, on outdoor steps and next to the bath. These needs may arise over time.
Adapt or simply reorganise your kitchen so that sharp or dangerous objects are less easy to reach. Ensure your house is well lit, and consider using (electric) night lights or leaving a light on for safety when moving around at night. Install gas and smoke detectors around the home.
Adapt or simply reorganise your kitchen so that sharp or dangerous objects are less easy to reach. Ensure your house is well lit, and consider using (electric) night lights or leaving a light on for safety when moving around at night. Install gas and smoke detectors around the home.
A free Home Fire Safety Check is available from Greater Manchester Fire Service. If you can, stop using electric blankets as they can be a fire hazard. If you smoke, get help to stop smoking – this is a major cause of fire for people with dementia.
Crime prevention
Take sensible precautions:
- Don’t leave windows and doors open or unlocked.
- Take care of keys – keep them somewhere safe.
- Always ask doorstop callers for photo ID.
- Never pay for work by cash.
Helping with your memory
When your memory starts to fade, there are some measures you can try to make you feel safe and secure around the home and help your memory.
It may be helpful to keep a diary or calendar, and make a list about important things you need to do in your day-to-day routine and keep it to hand to refer to. Consider using a notice board to pin appointment cards and information leaflets to.
Try to keep things in their place so they are easier to find. To make sure to take your correct medication, buy a special dispenser for your medication so your dosage is correct.
It may be a good idea to put together a collage of photos of those who are important to you with their names on.
Getting out and about
A person with dementia’s memory problems may eventually mean that most activities outside the home have to be accompanied, but short walks independently in well-known areas should not be ruled out.
Going to a local shop should be possible, and it helps if the shop owner and assistants are made aware of your condition, and know who to contact if there is a problem. Encouraging people in the neighbourhood to be ‘dementia friendly’ will also help others.
Driving
Once you have been diagnosed with dementia, by law you have to let the DVLA know, as well as your insurance company. The DVLA may decide to assess you, and may issue you with a limited license. You can appeal against any decision made.
You may decide to have your driving assessed. This can be done via a driving Assessment test. As dementia progresses it is important that you are reassessed – it is possible that at some point you will need to stop driving.
The DVLA can be called on 0300 790 6806, or you can find more information on the gov.uk website.
Keeping active
If you are able, keeping active is a good way for a person with dementia and anyone who cares for them to enjoy spending time together. Being active burns up the adrenalin produced by stress and frustration and produces endorphins, which can promote feelings of happiness.
This will help you to relax and increase your sense of well-being. Being active also helps you develop a healthy appetite, can increase your energy levels and can help you get a better night’s sleep.
As dementia progresses, it may become more difficult to take part in physical activities. However, keeping active can play a big part in your overall wellbeing and happiness as well as providing many physical benefits. You should continue doing activities you enjoy for as long as you feel comfortable doing so.
Find a hobby or activity that you enjoy – it can make difficult times seem easier to cope with.
Activities that remind you of the past may help to retain your memory – for example, listening to music, watching old films, looking at photographs, talking about the past, and visiting your favourite places can all help.
Home environment and dementia
The design of the home environment can have a big impact on someone with dementia.
Symptoms of memory loss, confusion and difficulty learning new things means that someone with dementia may forget where they are, where things are and how things work.
If they're able to stay in their own home, the familiar objects will be reassuring, and it's not advisable to make major changes or adaptations to their homes overnight.
However, there are simple, affordable things you can do that may help them to continue living independently and safely.
Better lighting can help people with dementia
Dementia tends to affect older people, who are likely to have poorer eyesight. People with dementia can also feel disorientated in the dark, so leaving a nightlight on can help.
Most people with dementia benefit from better lighting in their home – it can help avoid confusion and reduce the risk of falls. Using higher wattage light bulbs will boost the lighting in your home, but remember to first check the maximum level that the fitting can take.
Increase natural light in a room by making sure that the curtains are open and that unnecessary nets or blinds are removed. Cut back hedges or trees if they overshadow the window and block out sunlight. Lighting is particularly important on the stairs and in the toilet. Light switches should be easily accessible and straightforward to use.
Reducing excess noise may help with dementia
Reduce background noise by turning the television or radio off if nobody is paying attention to it.
Carpets, cushions and curtains improve the acoustics of a room by absorbing background noise. If you have laminate or vinyl flooring, simply walking across the room can be very noisy. If the person you care for wears a hearing aid, it will magnify these sounds and can make it uncomfortable for them.
If their hearing has deteriorated with age, make sure they get regular hearing checks and are fitted with hearing aids if necessary.
Safe flooring and dementia
If you need to replace the carpet in a person's home, choose one that's the same colour throughout the whole house as this can be less confusing for someone with dementia.
Avoid shiny or reflective flooring as this may be perceived as being wet and the person with dementia may struggle to walk over it.
Try to avoid rugs or mats on the floor, as some people with dementia may become confused and think the rug or mat is an object that they need to step over, which could lead to trips or falls.
Contrasting colours may help with identification
Contrasting colours on the walls and floors can give the person with dementia a sense of depth and perspective in a room. Having furniture in contrasting colours can make it easier for them to find and use.
Doors and banisters painted in a different colour to the walls will make them stand out. Toilet seats that contrast in colour with the rest of the room will help the person with dementia find the toilet. Similarly, tablecloths that are a different colour to the plates will help them to see their food better.
Bed linen, towels, soft furnishings and wallpaper should be bold colours rather than pastels, which blend together easily. Patterns should be avoided as they can be disturbing for people with dementia. They may see faces or shapes in the patterns, which can be confusing for them.
Reflections can be troubling
If the person you care for doesn't recognise their own reflection, they may think that the face they see in the mirror or the person reflected in the window is a stranger. This can be distressing for them. It can help to cover mirrors with a roller blind or curtain and close curtains in the evening so they can't see their own reflection in the glass.
Labels may help someone with dementia navigate
It's a good idea to label drawers, cupboards and doors to show what's inside them. For example, you could put a photo of the toilet on the toilet door, a photo of the cups on the cupboard that contains the cups, and so on.
Alternatively, transparent cupboard doors can be of great help to someone with dementia as they will be able to see what's inside.
Dementia-friendly household items
It's possible to get household items that are specifically designed for people with dementia. For example, these items can include cups with two handles, clocks with large LCD displays, telephones with big buttons, devices to open jars, and so forth. There are several websites that sell daily living aids, such as the Alzheimer's Society online shop.
You may find that the person you care for prefers traditional fixtures and fittings, such as taps, a toilet flush or bath plugs. Sleek modern designs may be confusing.
Ensure that any tables are stable and have round, smooth edges. They should be at a suitable height so that food and drink can be seen and a wheelchair can fit underneath if needed.
Think about outside space needs
Like everyone else, people with dementia may benefit from going outside to get some fresh air and exercise.
Ensure that walking surfaces are flat to prevent any trips or falls. The outdoor space should be secure to stop the person you look after from wandering.
Raised flower beds can help people with restricted mobility actively look after their garden by doing watering, planting or weeding.
Providing sturdy, sheltered seating areas will allow the person you care for to stay outside longer. You can further encourage their participation in the outdoors by using bird feeders or tables and bat, bird or bug boxes to bring more wildlife into the garden.
The ideas above may not be suitable for all individuals with dementia. As their Carer, you will know them best and will be able to decide which changes might give the most benefit.
Privacy
Everyone has the right to privacy – and your privacy should always be respected by people who are supporting you. This includes things like knocking on your door before they enter and locking the door if they are attending to your personal hygiene.
Last Updated: 2nd Jun 2021, 11:38