Often seniors continue to live alone when they are no longer safe. Children often do not recognize the danger of them living alone until something happens. In the case of someone with Alzheimer’s disease I often hear, “They are not wondering anywhere”. The reality is that there is no predictable time when they will start to wander. It could be in the middle of the night or in a snow storm or broad daylight. It is inevitable that this will happen at sometime because they don’t recognize day vs night, remember the appropriate clothing to wear for the weather , don’t know where they live or how to get somewhere or back home. Be sure to have an identification bracelet on your loved one if they have alzheimer’s. If they live with someone consider installing door alarms that you can get from Radio Shack so that there’s an alert when the door opens.
They also loose their sense of safety and unaware to recognize that it is not a good idea to stick a fork in a light socket. They have the mentality of a two year old and you know how curious they are. It’s important to unplug their stove so it’s not accidently left on and put any chemicals in a secure location. Medications should be locked as well. It is common for seniors to over medication themselves by not remembering that they already took it or not being able to read the dose. There are medication dispensing machines available that will dispense one dose at a time and if it’s not take within a certain amount of time it will call and notify a designated person. That doesn’t ensure that it’s not been just stuck in their pocket though. Remember you’re dealing with a two year old. Safety is a critical issue for all seniors. Read more about senior safety and take the test When Can Someone No Longer Live Alone Safely on http://www.agingavenues.com/.
Carlotta Katra, President
Aging Avenues