Summer Safety for People with Dementia

The pleasures of summer include longer, warmer and sunnier days, celebrations with family and friends, and backyard BBQs. For the person caring for a loved one with dementia, summer can also bring with it additional safety challenges. By taking a few minutes to learn the safety tips outlined below, families can enjoy a fulfilling and pleasant summertime together.

• Limit your loved one’s exposure to the sun. Place comfortable lawn chairs in shaded areas. Encourage him/her to stay indoors between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. when the sun’s rays are the strongest. Encourage your loved one to wear a hat and sunglasses to protect his/her eyes.
•  Remind your loved one with dementia to apply and reapply sunscreen when outside for long periods of time. Spray-on sunscreens are now available and may make application quicker and easier. 
•  During the summer heat it is especially important to drink lots of fluids. Offer the person with dementia a small glass of water to drink hourly, or keep a cool glass of water within arm’s reach as a reminder to him/her to drink. Provide non-alcoholic beer or lemonade for backyard BBQs.
• Reorganize your loved one’s closet; put away winter clothes and replace them with light clothing appropriate for the season.
• Noise and crowds of people can cause a person with dementia to become agitated or wander in search of a quiet place. Fireworks displays, parades and picnics in the park on holidays may overwhelm your loved one. Consider watching fireworks from your home or in the quiet of the car and parades on television; picnic during less crowded hours and days.
• Backyard BBQ’s and fireworks can create a fire and safety hazard for your loved one with dementia  who does not remember the proper use for such items. Never allow unsupervised access to open flames and hot surfaces.
• Attending a minor or major league ballgame may be something your loved one has always enjoyed. However, large crowds can be overwhelming for the person with dementia. Identify someone in your group to be the designated “buddy” so you don’t lose track of who was supposed to stay with your loved one. Make sure someone always accompanies your loved one to the restroom and the concession stand and stays with them until they are ready to return to their seat. In large crowds the risk of being separated is great and can happen very quickly.
• Swimming may be a favorite pastime for your loved one with dementia. While the physical exercise should be encouraged, do not allow an individual with dementia to swim unsupervised, and do not leave children in the pool under the supervision of the person with dementia even for a short period of time.
• Bicycling can be an enjoyable way to exercise in the summer, but traffic and other external stimuli can cause a person with dementia to become distracted, resulting in an accident. If your loved one still enjoys bicycling, consider accompanying him/her  on the ride or ask a trusted companion to accompany him/her. Encourage your loved one to wear a helmet and to ride on trails designated for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Gardening can be a pleasurable and relaxing activity but can also pose risks for the person with dementia. Keep an eye on sharp gardening shears or tools and closely monitor their use. Use fertilizers that are not harmful if swallowed accidentally and ensure that the plants in the garden are not poisonous.
• Family reunions can be overwhelming to the person with dementia and may rely greatly on his/her ability to recall names and faces. Consider limiting the amount of visitors and prepare both family members and the person with dementia in advanced for the visit. Have a back- up plan that will allow for a quiet place of rest if things become overwhelming or confusing.
• Many families plan vacations and trips during the summer time. Remember that new and unfamiliar places can be confusing for the person with dementia. Consider simplifying travel plans or traveling to a familiar destination.
• When visiting relatives this summer, remember that dementia can have a big impact on every member of the family including children. Each child will react differently to someone who has dementia.
• The young people in your life might have questions about what is happening. It’s important for you to take the time to answer these questions openly and honestly. It will also help to share with them the changes the disease might bring, now and in the future.

The local Alzheimer’s Association can help answer questions and provide additional information about how the family can work through the changes brought on by the disease and keep your loved one safe.

Some additional summer safety and preparedness tips from the Red Cross for all adults: As our bodies age, skin and fat tissue, the body's insulators, tend to thin. Because of that change, seniors regulate temperature less efficiently, putting them at greater risk than others from heat-related health problems. Signs of dehydration or heat exhaustion are less pronounced in seniors, who:

·         Tend to perspire less than younger people—so their bodies don’t shed heat as easily as they once did.

·         May lose some of their sense of thirst and not feel thirsty until severe dehydration has set in.

·         May take high blood pressure and heart disease medications that remove salt and fluids from the body. These medications, coupled with heat, can cause a senior to become dehydrated—leading to confusion, organ damage and even death.

The following tips can help seniors beat the heat.

·         Slow down. Strenuous activity in extremely hot weather adds strain to the heart. If you must be active, choose the coolest part of the day.

·         Take regular breaks when engaging in physical activity on warm days. If you think that you, or someone else, show signs of heat-related illness, stop your activity, find a cool place, drink fluids and apply cool compresses.

·         Stay cool. If you don’t have air conditioning, spend time at an air-conditioned shopping center, senior center, library, movie theater, restaurant or place of worship.

·         Plan outdoor activities in the cooler early morning or evening hours

·         Stay in the shade. A covered porch or under a tree are good choices.

·         Wear a wide-brimmed hat and umbrella to protected yourself from sun overexposure

·         Use U/V skin protection

·         Stay cool in your home. If you must be at home without air conditioning:

·         Stay in the coolest part of the house—usually the lowest floor.

·         Close curtains or shades on sunny windows to keep out heat and light.

·         Use portable and ceiling fans, and/or battery-operated hand-held fans and misters.

·         Install outdoor awnings or sun screens.

·         Use wet washcloths or ice cubes wrapped in a washcloth to pat your wrists, face and back of the neck.

·         Take cool baths or showers.

·         Stay hydrated. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body.

·         Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increase metabolic heat. Sandwiches, salads, fresh fruit and vegetables are good choices.

·         Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.

·         Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. Wear a hat or use an umbrella as well.

·         Discuss with your doctor how medications and/or chronic conditions may affect your body's ability to manage heat.

·         Take the heat seriously. Rapid heartbeat, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, headache, chest pain, fatigue, clammy skin, mental changes or breathing problems are warning signs that you should seek immediate medical attention.

Frail seniors who live alone should be looked in on often during hot weather by family members, neighbors or friends.

I hope you enjoy the summer, but stay safe doing so.