Safely Home CAREGIVERS GUIDELINES Creating a Safe Environment REVIEW THE OUTSIDE ENVIRONMENT Be aware of hazards: bodies of water, ponds, swimming pools, dense foliage, steep stairways, high balconies hedges, and areas where traffic tends to be heavy. Put hedges or a fence around your patio or yard. Camouflage and lock gates or exits Create circular paths or enclosed gardens that will facilitate supportive movement. SECURE YOUR LIVING AREA Place locks out of normal line of vision Consider electronic buzzers or chimes on your doors Door knob covers can make turning the knob difficult Place a pressure sensitive mat at the door or person's bedside Camouflage some doors with screen or curtain; paint doors and doorknobs same color as walls Use redirection by guiding or distracting the person from hallways, doors. Use nightlights, signs, and familiar objects to help the person move around in a safe area Set up a safe area in the home where the person can wander at night. Install safety devices on doors and windows, bells, or alarms that sound whenever a door is opened.
Safely Home CAREGIVERS GUIDELINES (continued) 2 STIMULATION STRATEGIES Provision of interesting activities and companionship may prevent wandering occurring. Program daily activities. Unfortunately the person with dementia has a limited attention span, so this does not keep them occupied for very long. Provide positive stimulation and activities such as: folding laundry, helping to prepare dinner, set the table creative programming: adult day programs, dance groups, music, adult games MINIMIZE INAPPROPRIATE STIMULATION Provide calm and relaxed atmosphere. Reduce amount of noise and confusion in the environment (some TV shows) Allow the person to move in safe areas or make exercise or walks part of your daily routine Give the person space in which to pace. Eliminate tripping hazards such as rugs and obstacles. Be objective. Don t take the person s movement personally. He is probably trying to make sense of a world that no longer seems predictable. Remind the person that you know how to find him and that he is in the right place. Reassurance is the best strategy for caring for someone with dementia. MONITORING STRATEGIES Precaution and supervision Notify neighbors that the person you re caring for has a tendency to wander Register with Safely Home www.alzheimer.ca or call 1-800-616-8816 For more information contact: Alzheimer Society Alberta and Northwest Territories www.alzheimer.ab.ca 1-866-950-5465
Safely Home CAREGIVERS GUIDELINES (continued) 2
Alzheimer s disease and getting lost bringing individuals SAFELY HOME Joan Price, Safely Home Coordinator, Alzheimer Society of Alberta and NWT Dementia Umbrella term - set of symptoms Loss of memory Changes in mood and behaviour Impaired judgment and reasoning Difficulty with day-to-day functions Confusion 2
Reversible Causes of Dementia Malnutrition Dehydration Vitamin B12 deficiency Depression Delirium 3 What is Alzheimer Disease? Progressive, degenerative disease of the brain a form of dementia Brain changes: Toxic levels of tiny dense plaque deposits Development of tangles choke off brain cells www.alzheimer.ca The Brain Tour 4
Other Dementias Vascular dementia Lewy Body dementia Fronto-temporal lobe dementia(s) 5 Who is Affected? Approximately 280,000 Canadians Most people are over the age of 65 Twice as many women as men 50% live in the community 6
10 Warning Signs Memory loss Difficulty with familiar tasks Problems with language Poor judgment Problems with abstract thinking 7 10 Warning Signs (cont.) Misplacing things Changes in mood & behaviour Changes in personality Loss of initiative Confusion of time and place 8
Movement/mobility to fulfill a particular need: Relieve boredom/ need to exercise? Searching for something familiar? Looking for security/reassurance? Broken sleep patterns/time confusion? Keeping busy/continuing old habits/ recreating schedules? Reaction to medication/discomfort? Basic needs - hunger, thirst, toilet? 9 Alzheimer s Disease and Getting Lost All persons with Alzheimer s and other dementias should be considered at risk of becoming lost. 10
Safely Home Established 1995 Ancillary database on CPIC Registration voluntary: one-time fee of $35 Registrants receive an identification bracelet, identification cards, caregiver handbook 11 Safely Home : Bracelet Front: Urgent See other side Back: Identification number (linked to CPIC) Person s first name Memory loss Call police 12
Data in the Record A query may result in obtaining any or all of the following information: Name, description, living arrangement of registrant Personal history, physical characteristics and locations where the person is known to visit. Caregiver s contact information 13 How Can It Help? When a registrant is found Call the police Identification number used to search CPIC. Information on where the person lives and who to contact. Police notifies the caregiver. 14
To Register Someone Download registration form from Web site www.alzheimer.ca or Contact your local Alzheimer Society 15 Snowbirds The CPIC data base is not accessible outside of Canada. Canadians travelling to the U.S. are advised to register their family member with Safe Return through the American Alzheimer Association http://www.alz.org/we_can_help_medicalert_ safereturn.asp 1-888-572-8566 16
Quick Reference to help families be prepared Safely Home bracelet worn at all times Companion cards with accompanying caregiver when on outings Recently updated photo on hand Updated personal/medical information Safely Home registration number handy 17 If a person goes missing advice for caregivers Gather your thoughts and stay calm How long has the person been gone? Look inside the house, including the basement Check to see if any items such as car keys, luggage or credit cards are missing. Quickly check the immediate outdoor area, including the garage and sheds. 18
If a person goes missing (cont) If you live in a rural area, do not search beyond the immediate outdoor area on your own. Call the police immediately after completing all the above steps. Give the police the missing person s Safely Home registration number. Have relevant information ready (i.e. photo, clothing, license number of car) 19 If a person goes missing (cont) Alert police of medical conditions or medications that may impact search. Let police know of areas the person might attempt to go to. Make sure someone stays at home. Alert relatives, friends and neighbours 20
COMMUNITY Caregiver Guidelines Notify neighbors: Getting lost is not uncommon and should be anticipated. HOME Register with Safely Home Precaution and supervision Electronic devices: GPS etc. 21 Caregivers Guidelines (cont.) Inside the home: locks, electronic buzzers or chimes on doors, disguise doors with curtains or screens; safety devices, alarms, bells, monitors Outside the home: Be aware of hazards: bodies of water, dense foliage, steep stairways, high balconies hedges Limit access to dangerous areas. Fence around patio or yard. Camouflage gates or exits Create circular paths or enclosed gardens for safe movement. 22
Caregivers Guidelines (cont.) Supportive Environment Structured Day Encourage movement and exercise: supervised walking, offer to drive Be objective Continually reassure the person who may feel lost or abandoned. 23 Summary Alzheimer s and other dementias Who is effected by Alzheimer s 10 warning signs Movement/mobility and getting lost Safely Home Caregiver guidelines 24
Community Resources Available from the Alzheimer Society Support Information Education Referral www.alzheimer.ab.ca 25 We would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada for this training initiative through the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SAR NIF). 26
For More Information www.alzheimer.ca 1-800-616-8816 www.alzheimer.ab.ca 1-866-950-5465 www.alzheimercalgary.com 1-877-569-4357 27