Helping Those With Dementia Navigate Stairways

Is a Stairlift Safe For a Person With Dementia

The stairs’ can be a massive problem for people who have been diagnosed with Dementia. This is because stairs can become highly unsafe for someone with Dementia. Supporting those who have Dementia is essential for their wellbeing and safety. You may need mobility equipment to help. It may also help relieve/reduce the symptoms of the illness in the short or long term.

However, we advise you not to get a stairlift for your loved one if they have Dementia as it can cause safety problems. It would help if you only used a stairlift under the supervision of a trained carer who can make sure the user’s safety is first.

Always Get Advice From An Occupational Therapist And Other Medial Professionals

Before buying a stairlift, you should speak to the correct medical professionals. You want to do everything you can to reduce the chances of serious injury. Professional advice from medical professionals can help you do so.

Can People Who Suffer From Dementia Use A Stairlift On Their Own Safely?

The value of stair safety and Dementia cannot be overstated. This has to be taken seriously. Dementia patients are evaluated on their ability to use the stairlift comfortably and with assistance. It would help if you also gave their introduction consideration. Since Dementia is unpredictable, you must check the usage of stairlifts daily to see any issues. However, always seek professional advice first before getting one installed.

Stairs Safety Tips For Someone with Dementia:

Here are a few ways to make your stairs safe for someone with Dementia as their physical movement can become reduced. Remember always to seek professional advice.

Make The Stairs More Comfortable To See And Stand Out Visually As A Person Living With Dementia Can Have Reduced Depth Perception

If your stairs are all carpeted in the same colour, your loved one will become overwhelmed and struggle to see the steps. This is because Dementia can affect brain areas that have trouble perceiving depth and colour contrast. This implies that you note a subtle difference in the colours or patterns on the leg and the hip more quickly than you do.

To better sense the background and make out the steps, place colourful electric tape on the bottom of the step. Alternatively, attach the different coloured electrical tape or card to the vertical risers of each phase. To make pedestrians more visible, paint the outside and front doors white trim.

Light is also essential in your home, mainly along and around the stairs. Be sure to improve lighting in the house. This is because this is where slips and falls are common. Be sure that the stairwell is well-lit from top to bottom if you have a light turn to the stairs at one end. Since they sadly have Dementia, it can be even more challenging for them to make out the steps if they are not well lit. Put the switch on the wall to quickly turn the lights on to make the backdrop easier to see.

Add Mobility Aids To The Home

Looking for mobility aids to help the person will be beneficial. This could help them move around the home environment with a walking stick to be more stable on their feet. Mobility aids are great for helping people with reduced mobility.

Remove All Trip Hazards Around The House To Make It Safer For Dementia Patients

Make the stairs as clean as possible by removing something that might interfere and cause falls or accidents. This may include things left in the staircase to the upstairs rooms. This is because you do not want your loved one to trip on these stairs if they have been left out. Also, a clean environment makes a much healthier environment for your loved one.

Remove All Trip Hazards Around The House To Make It Safer

Make the stairs as clean as possible by removing something that might interfere and cause falls or accidents. This may include things left in the staircase to the upstairs rooms. This is because you do not want your loved one to trip on these stairs if they have been left out. Also, a clean environment makes a much healthier environment for your loved one.

Getting Handrails Installed On The Stairs

Adding a handrail to the stairs are much safer for the person to use them. Such stairwells have bannisters, although most do not. A short wooden handrail handle is attached to the wall. Following a home evaluation is one of the benefits of occupational therapy. It makes it easier for them to use.

Is a Stairlift The Best Option For Someone Who Has Dementia?

So is a stairlift safe for a Person with Dementia? When evaluating this question, you should still consider that the person you are using is well enough physically. This is because the overall objective is to ensure that your loved one is well and comfortable.

A good thing to do is if it is possible to try implementing the steps above if the person still has good enough mobility. They are cheap and cost-effective options. Then if you feel like the options will not work anymore, and the person’s mobility is deteriorating, you should maybe get them a stairlift to help them be safe in their home again.

Certain complications, though, can occur. The construction of a stairlift is an excellent choice to explore; however, this should be the last resort. Always seek professional advice first. User comfort comes first. It is wise to practise arranging a physical therapy test to determine if an increase is feasible under those circumstances. A professional view is always good to get when making this decision.

Can Someone With Dementia Use A Stairlift Under Supervision

Many people with Dementia will happily use a stairlift if someone else is there to supervise them (this can’t be guaranteed). This can help keep them safer. A carer or a family member must ensure that they are safe both within and outside the stairlift. So having someone there will help them stay in and ensure all safety procedures are in place. This is because someone with Dementia can sadly get scared. They can approach and exit the seat. You can use a seat belt, but this may make them feel trapped.

Also, under observation, a stairlift can not be suitable in certain situations. Many individuals with Dementia have fear and difficulty even though they know that they are taken care of. A common symptom of Dementia is hallucinations, and people with this form of Dementia can be afraid of walking up the stairs. If you think that selecting a stairlift would irritate your loved one, you can look for another choice. We strongly recommend getting professional advice first. It is wise to rent a stairlift for a short period to see whether the user accepts it in such situations. Almost try before you buy, but it is a bit longer commitment.

That’s why before buying a stairlift, you should speak to professionals such as an Occupational therapist for their expert advice.

Tips On Caring For Someone With Dementia

Dementia caregivers naturally worry about their loved one’s safety at home, especially if they are left alone. There is a severe risk of falling and harming yourself on the steps. There are indicators of Dementia in an elderly family member.

You Aren’t Guaranteed To Get Dementia As You Get Too Old Age.

There are ways to avoid the onset of social isolationism in our culture in the future, even though it does not occur just in old age. A balanced diet and regular physical exercise may significantly impact well-being. Alzheimer’s is more prone to happen when you grow older.

Try things when it comes to being physically healthy. It could be a brilliant idea to sign up for any classes when it’s not as hot outside, go for a stroll when it’s warm, or do some housework even though you can walk. You don’t have to exercise your brain all of the time, but you have to use it all of the time. Engage both the mind and the body!

How Does A Caregiver Help Someone With Dementia

Furthermore, other critical things about Dementia are that care can be a great help. There are several therapies available. Putting your loved one into a nursing home when your loved one is suspected of having Alzheimer’s or Dementia could be wise. Home nursing is an alternative.

Memory Failure Is Not The Only Signs Of Dementia When you Get It.

The key things about Dementia are that there are several forms of Dementia. People with vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal Dementia have reduced blood supply in their frontal lobes and are more likely to change mood, personality and behaviour. There are no apparent symptoms of difficulties in the early stages. During talks, forgetfulness, attention challenges, and mood swings are evident as problems express oneself.

Each Form Of Dementia Has Slightly Different Symptoms That You Can get.

Another critical things about Dementia are, as described earlier, Alzheimer’s is the most prevalent form of Dementia. Alzheimer’s disease may cause individuals to lose track of names, places, and other information and cause them to struggle with general organisation.

This disorder is distinguished by hallucinations, repetitive errors, and irregular motions caused by Lewy bodies. Frontotemporal Dementia begins and is seen in patients between 45 and 65, resulting in mood and social isolation. Despite their similarity, these two signs have significant variations since they often concentrate on the brain’s affected regions.

Related Dementia Habits People Pick Up

Also, individuals who have Dementia are capable of being very imaginative. They sometimes put themselves at risk. Because of the advanced ages, their capacity to think creatively has diminished. When they are anxious, they get irritated. When you investigate why this happens, you will keep that from occurring again. They, too, have lost their appetite for it. Cooking something to their specifications demonstrates that they are attentive and considerate. It would also help to encourage their responsibilities by delivering safe and balanced meals.

Carers Tips For Dealing With Someone With Dementia

If you read our previous article, What Is Dementia? As the population ages, we may also have Dementia, such as friends, family members, or lovers. Dementia patients are said to have persistence, resiliency, and connectedness. Here are some tips for dealing with someone with Dementia.

Communication Is Key To Help People With Dementia

Any assistance you may provide to this project would be greatly appreciated. Let the individual have their say. Begin the dialogue on a positive and inclusive note by making it easy for them to understand and lighten the atmosphere, and then let them take it at their speed. Allow yourself to be spontaneous and nonjudgmental. Don’t allow your emotions to control you. Treat everybody as an adult, but be mindful of the tone. Compassionate and adaptable relationships are essential for those. Any assistance you may provide to this project would be greatly appreciated.

Caring about a loved one with Dementia is a huge undertaking. You must be mindful of how Dementia will affect the person’s ability to provide treatment. Remember how bravery, tolerance, stamina, and face-to-face contact are needed.

Take Your Time With Them If They Have Dementia

They have trouble with cognition and forgetting everyday acts and desires as caregivers responsible for people with Dementia. This implies that perseverance is needed.

Please provide more time for daily routines if you need more time. Enable at least a couple of extra minutes for each assignment to account for any surprises or unusual problems that might arise. Build as much consistency as possible if you can. This will make your loved one’s day-to-day life more manageable. There should be options for daily tasks, such as what to wear, where to travel, plan, and stop. Giving him two choices allow him to make his own decisions while keeping it straightforward.

Be Versatile With Them And Help Them

Dementia is a progressive disease, which means complications and negative experiences can fade with time. Be prepared for something, since tomorrow’s activities will vary from the day before or after. These are just some tips for dealing with someone with Dementia.

Communicating with Someone Who Has Dementia Advice

Communicating with someone who has Dementia can be difficult and sometimes stressful. Talking with someone is easy if you obey these three rules: be courteous, sensitive, and make minimal motions.

Please Don’t Get Frustrated With Them As It Is Not Their Fault.

Without question, a discussion of someone with Dementia will ensue. Keep in mind that the project will be challenging to continue, so proceed with care. Raise your voice to make it easier to hear, but don’t be upset or furious. Get the confidence to enable others around you to be themselves. Enable yourself not to get overwhelmed so that you can focus on what you’re doing and forget anything else.

Reduce Distractions For Them In The Room

Block out visual and auditory input to break things up. This practise occurs in a private environment, which means it can not be seen when the partner is watching TV, as vehicles pass nearby, or while background noise is around. At the very least, it will enable us to develop a direct line of communication.

Be Understanding With Them

If you make an error, you could lose the other person’s focus or confidence in discussing the problem. Be wary of the pit and avoid arguing with your loved one.

Use Gestures When Speaking With Them

Interpersonal communication involves speaking and non-verbal gestures. Use gestures to convey the meaning.

Keep It Simple And Don’t Over Complicate It.

According to the doctor, you can compose your observations as briefly and directly as possible; as the condition worsens, you should lengthen them. The way things might have gone, you would eventually only be able to respond with clear yes or no answers. Can categorise complicated topics to present them in a more understandable way, and if you do adjust your old experience, create a list of things that can deal with it: the names of the medications, what it is called, when it is taken, about how long, and so on.

Communicating with someone who has Dementia is hard at times. But don’t forget they are an average human just like you and should try to treat them just the same. Also, along with communication, you can find that mobility can be a problem for people with Dementia.