Reducing the risk of the person getting lost
Accompany the person on walks or trips to the shops, so that there’s less risk of them going out and getting lost on their own. While this doesn’t mean they won’t go out later in the day when you’re not around, it does reduce the need for them to go out on their own if they don’t want to.
Recommend MedicAlert’s Safe & Found
You may want to recommend to the person’s family that they have an identity bracelet with their details on and sign the person up to MedicAlert’s Safe & Found service which uses The Herbert Protocol. This free service is used by the police to help locate someone quickly if they get lost, and stores information about the person online such as their name, address and contact number, so that they can be identified and returned home safely if they get lost. MedicAlert has a free online version of it so that the person’s records can be accessed easily in an emergency. <Link to MedicAlert Safe & Found> https://www.medicalert.org.uk/safe-and-found/
Making the exterior of the person’s home safe
Outside the person’s property, try to keep their driveway clear if they have one. Clear leaves, overhanging branches and anything that may cause them to trip. Ensure hedges and trees are cut back.
Flag up any hazards you identify to the person’s family, such as latches and locks that don’t work, loose handrails, uneven paving stones or even loose paving stones. Encourage them to ensure that steps are clearly marked with bright or fluorescent tape.
If the person’s garage or shed has hazardous chemicals or tools that can cause injury, make sure they are locked so that the person can’t access anything that may cause them harm.
Try to ensure there is plenty of outdoor lighting for the person so that they can move around and see where they are going.
Recommend a key safe
A key safe outside can be a good idea. This will enable you and family members to access the property without having to knock at the door or get the person out of bed if they are asleep. It also means you can access the person’s home quickly in an emergency. Ideally it should be fitted somewhere that doesn’t make it easy to spot from the road, so around the side of the house where it’s concealed would be best.
Recommend a camera doorbell
This would enable the person to check who is coming to the front door before they open it. They may want to have it set up so that trusted family members receive alerts to their phones. While it may be harder for them to recognise loved ones over time, it may be useful in the earlier stages of their dementia when they will recognise you and family and friends.