Everything You Need to Know About Home Safety of Elders

Design for Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Dementia and particularly Alzheimer’s are very demanding stages to handle. Dementia is a set of symptoms that occur with advancement in age. It is progressive in nature and differs from person to person. Usual symptoms include loss of memory, indecisiveness, confusion, personality changes, withdrawal and irritability. This not only affects the mental stability and morale of elders but also their capacity to go about their everyday tasks. Dementia is equally hard on the near and dear ones of elders. This is because of the challenge in understanding the needs and mood swings of seniors suffering from Dementia. Sometimes elders may not even recognise their own rooms. They can even walk out of the house. Patience is needed to approach such seniors.

Elders are not only seniors in age but also the numerous experiences they have gained and felt. When they are down with dementia, it is our responsibility to make them feel comfortable at home. It is not important for seniors to remember things clearly but feel secure and comfortable. When going through Alzheimer’s, they also face insecurity and loss of independence. It may not be possible to cure Dementia or Alzheimer’s, but it is possible to make life easier by bringing in certain changes in the lifestyle of seniors a little easier for them to handle.

One such approach is design for aging.  Design For Aging is a set of good design practices to facilitate smoother transitioning into aging at home. Senior care home designs  involve minor home modifications that reduce falls among elders and help them be independent without the fear of falling. These design concepts also address the challenges that seniors face due to dementia.  Dementia friendly home design includes the following to help seniors with decreasing memory or cognitive abilities:

1. Differentiation in Colours – Contrasting switches and socket colours, coloured doors, colours for pointing out potential trip hazards can guide seniors while moving about the house. Suitable colours must be used. With reducing vision, elders may not be able to differentiate similar colours.

2. Steps and threshold pointers – reflector strips or glow in the dark paints that can help seniors see at night.

3. Lighting – Ample lights placed in the right position, aiding in better vision. This also includes natural lighting which is important to maintain regular sleeping pattern and avoid low morale linked to the absence of sunlight in the house.

4. Wayfinding signages – signboards or picture boards can be placed near rooms or on doors to indicate whether seniors are going into the right room or not.

5. Personalised décor – photos, albums, mugs and other picture or memory-oriented display pieces and décor keep elders in the loop. Seeing these items regularly can reduce the impact of memory loss on seniors.

6. Flooring and walk support – apart from signages and contrasting colours, to make elders more independent, senior-friendly modifications can be made. Non-slip floors and walk supports can be installed in places where seniors tend to walk the most.

7. Bathroom fixtures – accessible shower heads, easy to operate faucet knobs, walk-in bathtubs, raised WC seats, etc. must be installed to prevent seniors from falling in the bathroom.

These are some of the ways in which small refinements can be made to your house to help seniors live more independent lives. Dementia cannot be prevented but living with dementia can be made easier. It will take some time to accept and adjust to the situation but it is not impossible. Empathy and compassion is the most important factor that determines how our elders will live. When it is possible to make the life of our loved-ones better, why not go for it?