Alzheimer’s Disease & Home Safety

© 2013 Griswold International, LLC
TMTM
Finding Support & Innovative Solutions

The Week of
August 26th is
National Safe
at Home Week
“The home environment
involves the needs, feelings, and
lifestyles of the caregiver, family, and
the person with Alzheimer's Disease.
Disability affects all family members,
and it is crucial to maintain your
emotional and physical welfare
in addition to ensuring a
safe environment.”
National Institute on Aging

Brainwriting is…
• a fun, engaging way to brainstorm
• sharing as many ideas as possible within a short timeframe
Brainwriting Process
• Listen for our questions
• When prompted, enter your solutions using the webinar chat function
• Don’t overthink or agonize…There are no right or wrong answers
Brainwriting Outcomes
• Peer-to-peer learning and sharing
• A publication that benefits others who are living with Alzheimer’s
Important
• Avoid sharing any information that you would not want others to see
BRAIN WRITING
Solutions
Orange Arrow Button:
Minimizes or expands the
GoToWebinar control panel.

Our Goal for Today
1. Empower those living with Alzheimer’s disease
2. Share common home safety challenges
3. Create a safe home setting that drives improved
quality of life for all

Presented by:
Bridget Scheidler, OTR/L
Fox Occupational Therapist
Fox Rehabilitation
Keith Lerner
Family caregiver
Chris Kelly, MEd
Director of Learning & Development
Griswold Home Care
Keith Lerner
Family caregiver
Chris Kelly, MEd
Director of Learning & Development

Lit Review
Social Media
Advocacy
Solutions Webinar & Toolkit

Thank you for your courage, energy, and dedication!
Professional CaregiversHealthcare Providers
Family Caregivers Clients

Alzheimer’s Disease is a brain disorder that can cause changes in
the brain that impact…
…and cause life-threatening safety issues.
Judgment and
decision-making
About Alzheimer’s Disease & Home Safety
Orientation to person,
place and time
Senses: vision, depth perception,
sense of touch/temperature
Motor skills
and coordination
Memory
loss

?
?
?
Agnosia:
Inability to Recognize
the Purpose of Objects
“It is as if I have
been taken to another
world where nothing makes
sense. Everything looks foreign.
I know things should make sense –
but they don’t. I stare at items
in the bathroom and have
moments where I don’t
know what to do.”
- Person with AD

The Safety Challenge
Ingesting hazardous
materials or
chemicals
Fire hazards
Misunderstanding
traffic signals and
road signs
Eating/choking on
non-food items
Sources: http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0306454602
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/know_your_brain.htm
Changes in the parietal lobe of the brain can
cause agnosia. Safety issues can include:

The Emotional Side
People with Alzheimer’s
Disease often feel...
Family/professional
caregivers feel…
• Anxious, embarrassed, confused,
isolated, depressed, loss of dignity,
treated like a child
• Shocked, frustrated, confused,
anxious, exhausted, isolated,
depressed
• Like they “can’t turn away for
a second”

In the early and
middle stages…
As AD progresses and
reading is impaired...
Home Safety Solutions
Use written signs or labels
with short phrases in large print
Remove/hide all objects that
could cause physical harm
Visit: http://1.usa.gov/16oTo3q to find a home
safety checklist that you can use to ensure that
each room of your home is safe.

- Lou Gehrig
“I just can't understand. I am not sick. My eye is
sharp, yet I was not swinging as of old. I reduced
the weight of my bat from 36 to 33 ounces, thinking
a change might work to my advantage, but it didn't.”
- Lou Gehrig
Real Stories
Fox Rehabilitation
Keith Lerner
Family caregiver
Keith Lerner
Family caregiver

A Search for
Something Familiar
? ?
? ?
Wandering: "These things can
happen at any given time.
All it takes is a caregiver who’s
working really hard, to turn
around for a second and
the person can wander.”
- Beth Kallmyer
Vice President of Constituent Services
Alzheimer's Association

Traffic accidents
Changes in the prefrontal cortex, frontal lobe and
hippocampus in the brain can cause wandering
and pacing. Safety issues can include:
Hypothermia
(during winter
months)
Drowning
Missing important
medications
Wandering by foot, car,
train, bus or planeHeat exhaustion

Heat exhaustion FatigueWeight loss
Pacing is a repetitive symptom caused by
restlessness. Safety issues can include:

The Emotional Side
Family/professional
caregivers feel…
• Anxious and confused • Shock, fear, frustration,
confused
• Exhausted – “can’t turn away
for a second”

• Create a safe walking path
• Set up “rummaging stations” with familiar work/
hobby-related items
• In some cases, wandering can only be safely managed in a
facility that offers a safe walking path
• Set up “rummaging stations” with familiar work/• Set up “rummaging stations” with familiar work/
Visit: http://bit.ly/19vEMBv,
http://bit.ly/18xJRol and
http://bit.ly/1cgQDRL to enroll in
programs that help to locate a person
with AD who has wandered.

Real Stories
Fox Rehabilitation
Keith Lerner
Family caregiver
Keith Lerner
Family caregiver

Depth Perception,
Balance and Coordination
Falls: "Ever since my mother
fell, I cannot get the sight and
sound out of my head. I feel like
I can’t turn my attention away
or sleep for a second. Of course,
this is impossible...but
I try anyway.”
- Family caregiver

Changes in the frontal lobe, occipital lobe
and cerebellum in the brain can cause falls.
Safety issues can include:
Some people with AD are often
driven to move
Other people with AD become
weak from not moving due to
other health conditions
Falls can lead to fractures and head trauma

The Emotional Side
Family/professional
caregivers feel…
• Afraid of falling again
• Embarrassed
• Fear of shiny floors
• Fear of walking causes isolation
• Afraid of another fall,
frustrated with loved one
• Exhausted – “can’t turn away
for a second”

• Occupational therapy (OT)
• Physical therapy (PT)
• Yoga/tai chi
• Staying active can improve
balance, strength and mobility
• Talk to your healthcare
provider prior to starting a new activity
Adaptive
equipment can
improve balance
Visit the following links to learn more about reducing the risk of falling:
• http://bit.ly/14NSqhI • http://1.usa.gov/1daFEKV • http://bit.ly/1daFGCK

"Muscles don't get
dementia. They can
still be strengthened
to prevent falls due
to weakness."
My Past Is Now My Future: A Practical
Guide to Dementia Possible Care
by Lanny D. Butler, MS, OTR

Vision, Judgement and
Reflexes
Driving issues: “It was very difficult
giving up things such as a car
when I’m still working…without
my wife taking me to work in the
morning and a driver taking me
home in the afternoon, I would
be pretty much stuck in the
house every day.”
- Person with AD, Voices of Alzheimer’s Disease,
Alzheimer’s Association Town Hall Meeting

Changes in the prefrontal cortex, frontal lobe,
parietal lobe and occipital lobes of the brain
can cause impaired…
Depth
perception
Judgement
Reflexes
Insight into driving issues/ need to stop driving

When is a person with AD unsafe to drive?
Driving and AD combine to create a unique, challenging dilemma for…
• Law enforcement
• Legislators
• Driving testing centers
• People with AD
• Family caregivers
• Healthcare providers

The Emotional Side
Family/professional
caregivers feel…
• Driving is key to independence
• They are safe to drive
• Aware of their issues, but reluctant
to “give up the keys”
• Concern about safety
• Guilt
• Frustration when person with
AD lacks insight
• Want someone to own
responsibility

Ask your healthcare provider about
a comprehensive driving evaluation
Visit: http://bit.ly/17Q2fqy for a great
guide to understanding and managing
driving issues.

Real Stories
Keith Lerner - Family caregiverKeith Lerner

Advocacy
Home Safety
Care Team
It is important to surround yourself with experts
in the fields of AD and Home Safety
Your care team
should include: • Home Care
• Geriatric Care
Manager
• Adult Day Care
• Family Doctor/
Nurse Practitioner• Occupational
Therapist
• Physical
Therapist
• Visiting Nurse
• Advocacy
and Support
Groups

Support Groups Can Help
The most practical home safety strategies can be found
through support groups.
Here are links that can help you to find support groups in your area:
• http://bit.ly/17f6UVU • http://bit.ly/143u1Pm

Symptoms vs. Behaviors
We have avoided the term “behaviors”
– This is intentional, because this term - although commonly used -
alludes to intent or “misbehaving”.
– When a person has chest pain due to heart disease, we use the term
“symptom”.
– When a person has shortness of breath due to lung disease, we use
the term “symptom”.
We should use the term symptom with Alzheimer’s Disease as well.
This will help to drive the empathy, patience, and accommodation
that is key to care, support and quality of life for people with
Alzheimer’s Disease and their family/professional caregivers.

Key Takeaways
Points to remember
The symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are caused
by changes in the brain, and often create serious safety issues
It is important to surround yourself with experts and use
proven home safety tools and approaches
There are things you can do to adapt the home setting to
reduce the risk of safety issues and improve quality of life

Open Q&A
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Alzheimer’s Disease & Home Safety

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