The Complete Guide to Alzheimer's-Proofing Your Home

1001 Pages·1998·5.26 MB·English

by  Mark Warner

The Complete Guide to Alzheimer's-
title:
proofing Your Home
author: Warner, Mark L.
publisher: Purdue University Press
isbn10 | asin: 1557531277
print isbn13: 9781557531278
ebook isbn13: 9780585087771
language: English
Alzheimer's disease--Patients--Home care,
Home accidents--Prevention, Alzheimer
subject
Disease, Accidents, Home--Prevention &
control, Home Nursing.
publication date: 1998
lcc: RC523.W36 1998eb
ddc: 362.1/96831
Alzheimer's disease--Patients--Home care,
Home accidents--Prevention, Alzheimer
Home accidents--Prevention, Alzheimer
subject:
Disease, Accidents, Home--Prevention &
control, Home Nursing.
Page iii
The Complete Guide to Alzheimer's-Proofing
Your Home
Mark L. Warner
PURDUE UNIVERSITY PRESS WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
Copyright 1998 by Ageless Design, Inc. All rights reserved.
02 01 00 99 98 5 4 3 2
The paper used in this book meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed
Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992.
©Printed in the United States of America
Interior design by inari
Cover design by Shylo Diskey
Cover photo by Mari Lo Pittman, courtesy of the National Association for Home
Care, Washington, D.C.
Ageless Design is a registered trademark of Ageless Design, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Warner, Mark L., 1948-
The complete guide to Alzheimer's proofing your home / Mark L. Warner.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-55753-127-7 (casebound)
1. Alzheimer's diseasePatientsHome care. 2. Home accidentsPrevention. I. Title.
RC523.W36 1998
362.1'96831dc21 98-14697
CIP
Page v
Contents
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction: About Alzheimer's Disease 1
Chapter 1: Preparing Your Home 9
Developing a Plan 9
Strategies for Change 13
Identifying the Zones of Your Home 18
Planning Major Projects 24
Adding a Bathroom 24
Converting a Room 25
Preparing a Caregiver's Room 25
Adding a Washer/Dryer 25
Your Home's Interior Spaces 26
The Bathroom 26
The Kitchen 39
The Bedroom 46
Den, Family Room, and Living Room 51
The Dining Room 53
Offices, Workshops, Hobby Room 55
The Laundry Room 56
Attics, Basements, and Cellars 59
Hallways and Corridors 59
Stairs, Steps, and Railings 61
Page vi
Doors and Windows 65
Floor Coverings 68
Drawers, Cabinets, and Closets 70
Your Home's Exterior and Yard 72
Making Your Home Easy to Find 72
Yard Hazards 73
Outdoor Pleasures 74
Dangerous Plants 75
Miscellaneous Suggestions 79
Storage Sheds and Garages 79
Patios, Decks, Porches, and Balconies 80
Chapter 2: Thinking-Related Issues 83
Loss of Short-Term Memory 84
Absentmindedness 85
Difficulty Finding Things 88
Signage 88
Organization 92
Difficulties with Multi-Sequential Tasks 93
Long-Term Memory 94
Self-confidence 95
Poor Judgment, Indecisiveness 96
Simplify the Environment 96
Create a Therapeutic Environment 97
Disorientation to Time and Place 99
Sense of Time 99
"Take Me Home" 100
Misinterpretations, Hallucinations, and Delusions 102
Fears 109
Fear of Bathing 110
Fear of Abandonment 114
Fear of Strangers 115
Fear of Incarceration 116
Suspicions and Accusations 117
Isolation and Loneliness 118
Depression 119
Patient Depression 119
Page vii
Caregiver and Family Depression 124
Suicide 125
The Joy of Pets 125
Chapter 3: Behavioral Problems 129
Rummaging, Hiding, and Hoarding 130
Protect Your Valuables 133
Make It Easier to Find Lost Items 134
Create Places for Rummaging and Hiding Things 135
Eliminate Bad Places to Hide and Rummage 137
Agitation, Combativeness, Aggression, and Resistance 141
Environmental Pollution 142
Loss of Freedom and Access Denial 143
Rational and Irrational Fears 144
Catastrophic Reactions 145
Sundowning 146
Diversions 148
Picking at Things 149
Shadowing 151
Repetitive Behavior 152
Eating Inappropriate Materials 153
Inappropriate "Sexual" Behavior 155
Spontaneous Vocalizations 156
Stalling 157
Chapter 4: Activities of Daily Living 159
Toileting 161
Bathing and Showering 165
Loss of Control 166
Privacy 166
Safety 167
Bathing Alternatives 169
Adjusting Water Temperature 170
Dressing 171
What to Wear 171
Dressers, Drawers, and Closets 173
Putting Clothes On Correctly 173
Refusing to Get Undressed 174