The patient/caregiver was educated on general home safety measures for Alzheimer’s patients as follows:
- Caregivers must encourage the Alzheimer’s patients to limit or avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. Alcohol intake can add more dizziness and confusion to the Alzheimer’s patient, which can steeply increase their risk for falls & accidents. Also, excessive alcohol consumption can result in malnutrition states with poor absorption of essential nutrients & vitamins.
- In advanced cases of Alzheimer’s, it is safer to lock all the alcoholic beverages, dish washing liquids, detergents, handwash soaps, bodywash, moisturizers, toothpaste, shaving cream, deodorants, perfumes, shampoos, conditioners, floor and carpet cleaning liquids, and other household products in kitchen cabinets and secure the key out of the patient’s reach. Also, hiding all the matches and lighters out of the patient’s reach and installing automatic shut-off switch on the stove can help prevent fire accidents.
- Caregivers must also lock up the sugar, salt, alcoholic beverages, spice mixes, ketchup, and dough mixes, as some Alzheimer’s patients can consume them in big volumes, thus precipitating an emergency. Arranging for gates and blocking the entry of the Alzheimer’s patient into kitchen can help prevent their access to these risky kitchen products.
