Living Alone With Dementia
Many people with dementia can live alone for some time in the earlier stages. However, regularly assess possible risks to prevent dangerous accidents or injuries. Below are things to consider if your care recipient lives alone. Although not all of these risks may apply right now, they will become risks over time. Monitor your care recipient to determine what their risks are.
Driving
Possible Risks
Car accidents
Injury to themselves or others (passengers, pedestrians, drivers)
Death
Being sued by others in an accident
Make It Safer
Start conversations early. Say what you’ve observed, why you’re concerned, and make a plan.
Explore options like community driver services, buses, taxis, rides from family and friends, and delivery services.
Talk to their doctor about organizing an assessment of their driving abilities.
Suggest they practice sitting as a passenger more often as a chance to relax and enjoy the scenery.
Have a backup plan. If you’ve exhausted all options, take away keys or provide a fake set. You can also sell the car or disable it.
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Cooking
Possible Risks
Leaving the stove, oven, or gas knobs on
Putting something on a burner that shouldn’t go there
Burns from hot water or not using oven mitts
Falling trying to reach something on a high shelf
Injury from sharp objects like knives or can openers
Make It Safer
Use automatic shut-off appliances or plugs or kitchen timers that go off when food is ready.
Purchase smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Adjust hot water temperature so it only rises to a certain point to avoid burns.
Talk to a professional. Ask the gas company how to shut off the gas line that goes to the oven and stove, and use the microwave instead.
Rearrange the kitchen so everything is within easy reach.
Cook together sometimes so you can see what they’re having trouble with.
Eating
Possible Risks
Not eating enough
Not getting enough nourishment
Make It Safer
Buy pre-made meals or use meal delivery services.
Have groceries delivered.
Medications
Possible Risks
Forgetting to take, or when to take, medications
Forgetting to refill prescriptions
Mixing up medications (taking morning medications at night)
Organization mistakes (putting too many pills in a pillbox)
Make It Safer
Have medications delivered. They won’t need to remember to refill prescriptions.
Use equipment. Blister packs from the pharmacy, pill boxes, and automated pill dispensers can help track medication doses. Automated pill dispensers can be locked until the next dose.
Provide assistance. Give in-person or phone call reminders, or set an alarm to go off during medication times. You can also organize non-medical home health services for ongoing support.
Frauds & Scams
Possible Risks
Email and telephone scams
Losing money
Losing financial or personal information
Getting their identity stolen
Make It Safer
Keep personal documents in a safe place where your care recipient can’t access them easily, like a locked safe. For example, social insurance and medicare numbers.
Add protection like blocking strange phone numbers or emails; adding browser extensions that block unsafe or unsecured websites; running antivirus software regularly; updating passwords; and purchasing identity theft protection.
Remind them not to respond to messages, emails, or phone calls from people they don’t know, and to tell you if they get any. Say the bank or government will never call or email to ask for their password or account information. Leave sticky notes to remind them.
Wandering
Possible Risks
Getting lost
Falling
Becoming exhausted
Getting too hot or cold
Make It Safer
Reduce home hazards. Reduce clutter and clear pathways to avoid tripping hazards.
Ensure lights around the home (and outside) are bright enough for them to see. Hang motion-sensor lights low on paths they might navigate at night, like from the bedroom to the bathroom.
Use a GPS tracker to help locate them. For example, smartphones, smartwatches, specialized locator devices, and personalized emergency response systems.
Use a monitoring device to see what they’re doing. For example, cameras, door chimes, home motion sensors, and bathroom humidity sensors.
Falls
Possible Risks
Falling and unable to call for help
Getting injured and unable to get up
Make It Safer
Get a home safety assessment to reduce falls risks.
Reduce clutter like throw rugs, shoes, clothes, or pet toys.
Use fall alert devices like smart watches or emergency alert pieces that can call a caregiver or 911 if they fall.
