Recovering In The Comfort Of Your Own Home

Guide To Creating A Dementia Friendly Bathroom

If you are providing care with a loved one who suffers from dementia, it may be necessary to make changes around the home to protect your loved one. For example, is your bathroom safe and dementia friendly? You have to understand that dementia is a rough condition that can cause your loved one to become forgetful or be unsure of how things work. In some ways, a making a bathroom dementia friendly is a lot like making it child friendly.

Make Certain Aspects Pop

Many patients with dementia may also suffer from diminished eyesight. This can make performing daily tasks in the bathroom even more difficult with someone who has dementia because he/she is battling the forgetfulness of the disease and struggling to see things clearly.

The items – such as a toothbrush or hand soap – the person needs to remember to use need to be easy to see in the bathroom. You can highlight these key items by keeping the space neutral and free of distractions. Avoid busy patterns and stick to neutral colors to prevent your loved one from becoming distracted or stressed.

Often times, people with dementia do not view themselves as they are now, but how they were several years ago. Therefore, mirrors may not be a good idea in the person's restroom. The mirror, unfortunately, could cause your loved one to panic when he/she does not recognize who he/she sees in the mirror.

Preventing Falls

Due to hindered eyesight and a tendency to shuffle of feet when walking around, falls are prevalent in the elderly that have succumbed to dementia. Bathrooms tend to be a hot spot for many falls due to the small spacing being paired with floor mats and a general moist environment. While eye popping floor mats around the toilet, sink, and shower may help a dementia patient to somewhat be lured into those areas, they also pose a significant fall risk.

An option as far as the traction of the floor is concerned would be to install flooring that is marketed as non-slip. If, for whatever reason, non-slip flooring is not an option, make sure the floor mats are as flat as possible. This will prevent your loved one from tripping over the edges when he/she walks around. You should also make sure the floor mats are secured to the floor as much as possible.

Having a loved one suffering from dementia can be difficult for both the loved one and the caregiver. Making the dementia patient more comfortable in his or her activities of daily living is will help the patient have a more independent lifestyle.

For more information, talk to a professional like Independent Life.