It is important to make sure the homes of people who have dementia are safe for them.
Wandering can be a serious problem for people who have more advanced dementia. These tips may help prevent wandering:
To prevent harm when someone with dementia does wander:
Inspect the person's house and remove or reduce hazards for tripping and falling.
Do not leave a person who has advanced dementia alone at home.
Lower the temperature of the hot water tank. Remove or lock up cleaning products and other items that may be poisonous.
Make sure the kitchen is safe.
Remove, or store the following in locked areas:
Alzheimer's Association website. Alzheimer's Association 2018 Dementia Care Practice Recommendations. alz.org/professionals/professional-providers/dementia_care_practice_recommendations. Accessed August 8, 2022.
Budson AE, Solomon PR. Life adjustments for memory loss, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia. In: Budson AE, Solomon PR, eds. Memory Loss, Alzheimer's Disease, and Dementia. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 28.
National Institute on Aging website. Home safety and Alzheimer's disease. www.nia.nih.gov/health/home-safety-and-alzheimers-disease. Updated May 18, 2017. Accessed August 8, 2022.
BACK TO TOPReview Date: 4/17/2022
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
![]() Health Content Provider
06/01/2025
|
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complied with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information from 1995 to 2022, after which HON (Health On the Net, a not-for-profit organization that promoted transparent and reliable health information online) was discontinued. |
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2023 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.