Health and Safety Information for the Dementia Cargiver

Tips to Keep Your Patient Safe and Healthy

The health and safety of a dementia patient requires full time care. After a while our Mother required constant supervision. Someone had to watch her every move. This was an exhausting and difficult job and although there were three of us involved in her care it wasn’t always possible.

Preventing injuries proved to be very difficult. Although it only happened once, Mom did fall and hurt herself seriously enough to require an ambulance. She had been on Coumadin (a blood thinning drug) for several months and she somehow fell beside her bed.

There were no witnesses so we don’t really know exactly what happened, but by the time I (Paula) got to her she was bleeding profusely from her nose and screaming in agony over her leg where the most serious blood clot was.

As is the case with many older people, our Mom didn’t just suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease, but also had arterial and vascular blood clots in both legs. Explaining things to an Alzheimer’s patient is difficult. Explaining pain, the need for medication, how to swallow a pill, why they must stay in a hospital bed , and myriad other things that go along with medical treatment is just about impossible. And very tiring. Although difficult, the health and safety issues you will face are most important to handle well.

Dementia patients can be unsteady on their feet. Our Mom resisted our efforts to go with her “everywhere” insisting that she didn’t need to be watched constantly. Usually we were able to get her to allow us to help her by telling her that her Dr. had said that she couldn’t be alone so that she wouldn’t fall. But it didn’t always work.

She ended up with a broken nose and a broken toe, spent about a week in the hospital, and her dementia symptoms took a downhill turn.

The need for a good relationship with your loved one’s Primary Care Physician is priceless! You need to have an advocate who is familiar with and understands all of your patient’s medical needs. Someone to help you regulate medications. Someone to help you find the resources and get you the referrals you need to take advantage of them. A friend. And an ally.

If your care recipient doesn’t have a Primary Care Physician or if you or the patient isn’t satisfied with the one they have, take the time to interview a few doctors to find one that suits your situation. Ask them questions. Have them meet the patient. And establish a relationship with them. You will be glad you did.

You will need to learn caregiving tips to make handling health and safety issues easier. Dealing with someone who may not even remember your name makes it difficult to give them a bath. Getting them to eat a balanced diet when all they want to eat is corn is challenging also (ask us, we know!)

As their Activities of Daily Living become more difficult to accomplish the health and safety of your loved one will involve so much more than just bringing them to Dr. appointments and preventing falls. They will be totally dependent on you to see that their basic needs, food, clothing, shelter, cleanliness, and toileting, are met.

Keeping the dementia patient safe and healthy requires preparation, education, and persistence, but your loved one will be depending on you. This site will help you to learn the skills you need.

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