Ideas on how to keep a dementia sufferer safe
Discussion
Wasn't sure where to put this but here goes.
77yo Mum has dementia and was recently widowed. I'm now living with her while we get a longer term care plan in place.
She occasionally gets up in the night and goes for a wee. She also occasionally gets up in the night and goes for a wander, including out the front door looking for her husband...
I'd rather not lock the front door, when I take my contact lenses out at night I can see about 18 inches - trying to find a key by touch alone in an emergency would not be good.
We have a motion sensing dusk-till-dawn light on the landing already but it doesn't always wake me up when she goes for a wander. I don't really want to install a stair gate at the top of the stairs as she'll probably launch herself over the top of it.
The perfect device would be a battery powered laser beam across the top of the stairs that triggers a vibrating watch that I wear. Assuming that doesn't exist, any ideas from the PH hive?
Thanks.
77yo Mum has dementia and was recently widowed. I'm now living with her while we get a longer term care plan in place.
She occasionally gets up in the night and goes for a wee. She also occasionally gets up in the night and goes for a wander, including out the front door looking for her husband...
I'd rather not lock the front door, when I take my contact lenses out at night I can see about 18 inches - trying to find a key by touch alone in an emergency would not be good.
We have a motion sensing dusk-till-dawn light on the landing already but it doesn't always wake me up when she goes for a wander. I don't really want to install a stair gate at the top of the stairs as she'll probably launch herself over the top of it.
The perfect device would be a battery powered laser beam across the top of the stairs that triggers a vibrating watch that I wear. Assuming that doesn't exist, any ideas from the PH hive?
Thanks.
Get a pressure mat, either a smartphone one or one that makes a f
king load of noise when it goes off
Get some glasses ffs
Get a stair gate, as tall as possible, or make some kind of bars to go across yourself.
All this comes from someone who a) wears glasses and contacts b) has just put his 86yr old mother into a care home because it was too much for us all to cope with. I had the exact same thing - getting up at night, soiling everything (that'll come if it hasn't done already), trying to get down the stairs, get out the door, christ knows what else I've forgotten (perhaps I've got dementia?).
king load of noise when it goes offGet some glasses ffs
Get a stair gate, as tall as possible, or make some kind of bars to go across yourself.
All this comes from someone who a) wears glasses and contacts b) has just put his 86yr old mother into a care home because it was too much for us all to cope with. I had the exact same thing - getting up at night, soiling everything (that'll come if it hasn't done already), trying to get down the stairs, get out the door, christ knows what else I've forgotten (perhaps I've got dementia?).
Some police forces are providing discrete trackers for dementia sufferers that can fit to a kay ring etc, so when they go out and get lost the family can track them. Some sufferers are using them with consent, but for someone who has sever dementia then tracking them without their consent is an issue, but police are issuing trackers to their power of attorney. From the families that are using them they claim it to be a revelation and removes much of the worry that comes with a dementia relative getting lost whilst vulnerable.
Thanks all, very helpful.
Already have a GPS tracker for when we're out and about.
Doing the long term planning too but also want something to make her safer for the next few weeks.
Pressure mats sound good.
The eye condition I have means I can't get glasses that give any improvement over no glasses. Sucks but true.
Already have a GPS tracker for when we're out and about.
Doing the long term planning too but also want something to make her safer for the next few weeks.
Pressure mats sound good.
The eye condition I have means I can't get glasses that give any improvement over no glasses. Sucks but true.
There is a long-running dementia thread in which somebody posted a video... I will find it tomorrow if nobody beats me to it...
Anyway the guy went the whole hog and installed a door at the top of the stairs. As you say, stair gates aren't really fit for purpose, and the stairs are a hazard for a confused older person even if she wasn't going outside.
Sorry for what you're all going through.
Anyway the guy went the whole hog and installed a door at the top of the stairs. As you say, stair gates aren't really fit for purpose, and the stairs are a hazard for a confused older person even if she wasn't going outside.
Sorry for what you're all going through.
HustleRussell said:
There is a long-running dementia thread in which somebody posted a video... I will find it tomorrow if nobody beats me to it...
Probably not the video you had in mind, but when we moved in with my mother who has dementia, I found this video to be the best information on what to expect at the different stages.Big Clive Dementia Video
After mum went wandering unnoticed a couple of times, we installed a loud buzzer that goes off when the front door is opened. There's a button to cancel it before you go open it yourself. These start at about £4. We also have one that sends a notification to a smart phone if the door is opened.
We also installed a passive infrared light bulb in the hall so if Mum went to the loo the light would come on automatically.
Edited by GliderRider on Wednesday 15th February 23:29
Try one of these stair gates - you can fit them before she gets to the stairs and higher up
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BabyDan-Guard-Retractable...
Replace the door lock with a thumb turn and put a key chain thing higher up so she cant open the door?
In our house we removed the thumb turn and made it key only.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BabyDan-Guard-Retractable...
Replace the door lock with a thumb turn and put a key chain thing higher up so she cant open the door?
In our house we removed the thumb turn and made it key only.
As others have said , I know you are focused on the now , quite understandable .
But I would urge you to really plan and sort out what the future brings .
I have been and continue to be in the same place with my mum , she is in nursing care home now , and the next part of the process begins .
It can change from cameras in the home to the need for assistance in personal care in weeks .
Please have the next step and the one after sorted out now . Do you have a partner, brothers sisters etc to share the load with you ?
But I would urge you to really plan and sort out what the future brings .
I have been and continue to be in the same place with my mum , she is in nursing care home now , and the next part of the process begins .
It can change from cameras in the home to the need for assistance in personal care in weeks .
Please have the next step and the one after sorted out now . Do you have a partner, brothers sisters etc to share the load with you ?
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