May 2021 - Dementia Caring

As the weather cools down, now is the time that we start reaching for our electric blankets and pulling our heaters out of storage. While it’s important to stay warm in winter, we also need to make sure that we stay safe – and help protect our loved ones – from fires and burns.

According to Fire and Rescue NSW, the number of home fires rises by 10 percent during the cooler months, with more incidents due to the use of heaters and electric blankets in the home.

Seniors are particularly vulnerable, as close to one in three fire fatalities involve people who are over 65 years’ old. This is especially the case with people who have dementia, as confusion, memory loss and disorientation can mean they require extra support to stay safe.

Here are some fire safety tips to help you and your family stay safe this winter.

Heaters in the home

Heaters are a common way to keep a house warm during winter, but it’s important to be safe when using them. Here are some safety measures to keep in mind:

Check your heater at the beginning of each winter – inspect your gas or electric heater for wear and tear, frayed cords or any damage at the start of each winter. If you aren’t sure what to look for, ask your carer or a family member for help. If you suspect something is faulty, have the item checked by a qualified repairer or replaced.
Make sure your heater is in a stable position – accidentally knocking over a heater can cause a fire, so make sure it is placed in a safe location that is not in the way, and cords are not a trip hazard.
Never use a heater to dry clothes – it’s important to keep all flammable materials such as curtains, tablecloths and clothes at least a metre away from the heater.
Don’t sit too close to a heater – older adults lose body heat faster than younger people, which makes them feel the cold more easily. Make sure you don’t sit too close to the heater, and be careful if you are wearing loose-fitting garments (such as a dressing gown or cardigan) as this could be a fire risk.
Ensure the heater is monitored by a carer – if you are living with someone with dementia, it may be best to ensure that it is only in use when it can be monitored by a carer or a family member. You may also want to consider models that turn off automatically after a set period, or turns off when knocked over.

What to do in an emergency

Accidents can happen at any time. It’s important to be prepared so that if the unthinkable happens, you’ll know how to handle the situation.

Firstly, make sure you and your loved ones know two safe and clear ways out of every room in your house. Have a written escape plan in case of a fire and practice it regularly with family members, especially at the start of winter. Ensure everyone knows to call 000 in case of an emergency.

The following tips also help:

Keep a fire extinguisher and fire blanket in a location near the exit of your kitchen in case of hire
Make sure all the keys to locked doors are easy to access in a hurry
Familiarise yourself with what to do in case someone has a burn or scald. Here is a helpful fact sheet from St Johns Ambulance Australia.
Wheat bags, hot water bottles and electric blankets are not recommended for people with dementia, as they can pose a burn or fire risk. Consider avoiding them in favour of other heating methods, such as extra blankets and doonas.

It’s also important to make sure your smoke alarms are regularly tested. Legally, you must have at least one working smoke alarm on each level of the home, placed between bedrooms and in living areas.

HomeCaring provides person-centred care for seniors and people living with disability. For more information about our services, please get in touch for a free consultation.

Wandering is quite common amongst people living with dementia. While it is not a problem in itself (walking is great exercise with lots of mental health benefits) it can be worrying for carers and family members – especially if the person wanders to an unknown place and can’t find their way home.

Common reasons for wandering

If you are anxious about your loved one’s habit of wandering, understanding why they do it may put you at ease about their behaviour. It can also help you address any unmet needs, keep them safe, and improve their overall wellbeing.

Here are some of the common reasons people with dementia wander from home.

Memory loss – someone may start walking towards a familiar destination, such as the shops, then forget where they were going. This can even happen in places that is known to them, as dementia impacts the brain’s ability to visually navigate an environment.
Boredom – we all know the feeling of needing to go for a walk to burn up excess energy. Someone with dementia may not be able to communicate that they are feeling restless, and go for a wander instead.
Being in a different environment – being in a new place, such as a new home or a day centre, can make your loved one feel disoriented. This may cause them to leave the environment and wander away to where they feel more at home.
Following past routines – someone may wander to follow an old routine, such as catching the bus to work or picking up kids from school. They may be looking for a partner who has passed away, or a friend they had as a child.
Being in pain – walking can be a way to relieve pain, so it’s worth investigating whether your loved one has a medical condition that needs dealing with. It could also be caused by discomfort due to excessive heat, scratchy or tight clothing, or needing to go to the toilet.
Being unable to sleep at night – it is common for people with dementia to struggle with sleeping through night. They may wake before twilight, be confused about what time of day it is, and decide to go for a walk.
Stress and agitation – feeling overwhelmed in a noisy or crowded area, such as a busy café, may cause someone to leave and wander away. Pacing up and down or leaving the house can also be a way of dealing with agitation and anxiety.

How to help someone who is wandering

Wandering isn’t a bad thing if it’s within a safe environment. It becomes a safety risk if your loved one is in an unknown area, there are high-risk situations (e.g. roads with heavy traffic) or during times of extreme cold or heat.

Here are some tips to help you keep your loved one safe.

Address the reason for wandering

Explore the reasons why the person may be wandering away from their home, and try to address them. If they are feeling disoriented, reassure them that they are safe. If they are bored, explore different activities they enjoy doing. It may also be a good idea to speak to their doctor and check whether they are experiencing any pain, side-effects from medication, illness or discomfort. There may also be psychological reasons that need to be addressed, such as anxiety or depression.

Keep incentives to wander out of sight.

Review their home to see if there are any cues that encourage the person to leave the house and wander. You may want to consider camouflaging doors; keeping keys, hats, shoes and coats out of sight; and putting away any items that may be a reminder for the person to leave the house. Some also find it helpful to install pressure sensitive alarms in their home that raise an alert when someone has left the house unexpectedly.

Provide safe spaces to wander.

If your loved one enjoys walking, make sure it is part of their routine and give provide them with safe spaces to walk around, such as their garden. It may also be helpful to take note of what times of day the person likes to wander, so you can plan walks or engaging activities they enjoy during those times.

Avoid correcting the person.

It can be distressing to be told that a spouse you are looking for is no longer around, or a friend you are visiting has moved away. Avoid correcting your loved one if they wander in search of something in the past. Instead, listen to them, provide reassurance and gently redirect them.

Provide supervision

You may be in a situation where continuous supervision is needed to keep your loved one safe. Professional carers can help provide that supervision, along with individualised care for your loved one’s needs. Get in touch with the team Dementia Caring to find out how we can help.

Provide the person with identification.

Giving your loved one a form of identification to carry can ensure their safety if they happen to get lost. Dementia Australia has Identification Cards that you can use. It may also be helpful to tell friendly neighbours and local shopkeepers about your loved one. Most people are happy to help once they understand your circumstances, and can help keep an eye on the person if they happen to turn up.

Make sure you look after yourself.

It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and worried about keeping your loved one safe. Get a good support network around you, and find people you can talk about your experiences to. If you need help caring for your loved one with dementia, we are always here to help.

What to do if a person with dementia goes missing.

It is easy to panic if your loved one is missing, but the first thing to remember is to stay calm and do the following:

Carefully search their home and outside buildings (e.g. the garage, the shed)
Write down what the person was wearing when they went missing.
Let your neighbours know so they can be on the look-out.
Walk or drive around the immediate area, including any places your loved one regularly visits. If you can, make sure someone stays at home in case the person returns while you are searching.
Get in touch with your local police and tell them your concerns. They will ask you for a description of the person and any details and favourite places they often go to. Having a recent photo on hand helps.

When the missing person returns home

When your loved one returns home, notify the police straight away. It is important not to scold them, yell, or show that you are very anxious – it is likely they will also have been frightened and anxious themselves. Instead, provide reassurance and return to a regular routine as soon as you can.

Dementia Caring provides high quality, individualised care for people living with dementia – from a team you can trust. For a free consultation, please get in touch.

Month: May 2021

Senior winter fire safety: what you need to know

Dementia and Wandering