Alzheimer's Caregiving: Top Products to Have on Hand

Caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease is a tremendous challenge, but many families will choose home care in order to keep their loved one in order to provide them with a comfortable and familiar living space. This kind of care is all-encompassing and requires many lifestyle changes in many areas: grooming and hygiene, home safety, and daily activities. It's also a form of care that requires adapting to new situations and conditions, and we've put together a list of products that are useful to have on hand in order to respond to your loved one's needs and ensure their safety.

1. Alzheimer's Wandering Motion Alarm

One of the most common concerns and dangers for Alzheimer's patients is wandering, which can cause confusion, getting lost, exposure to elements, and falls or other accidents. As a caregiver, you'll need to know how to limit wandering, and that includes when you may be asleep or otherwise indisposed. This alarm, easy to both install and use, has a 10-foot wide detection range, and is adjustable to detect motion in a precise area. Its small size makes it versatile enough to place just about anywhere, and it can be used with or without a nurse call system, and has both an 85 dB tone alarm or chime setting. There are many options for alerting caregivers to wandering, but for patients with some degree of independence, a motion alarm at their boundary can allow freedom while still reassuring you that they're safe at home.

2. Doorway Stop Strip

Wandering occurs in 60% of patients with dementia. It's important to assess your home for wandering dangers when caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's; this may mean installing additional locks, doorknob covers, or alarm sensors. It may also mean providing visual signals to your loved one that will prevent their using a doorway. This Doorway Stop Strip has large, red "STOP" and "DO NOT ENTER" signs on either side, which will act as a deterrent for loved ones. It's easy to install on any doorway, so you can give your loved ones a strong visual reminder of their environment and keep them safe at the same time.

3. HealthSmart Bath Shower Chair

Assisting an Alzheimer's patient with bathing is a difficult task, particularly if they're confused, frail, or unsteady. Having safety bars and a well-affixed bath mat can be a great help, but a sturdy shower chair is one of the safest choices you can make. HealthSmart's Bath Shower Chair Seat has an adjustable height and a backrest for comfort and stability, as well as a contoured seat with hand grips for your loved one to steady themselves when sitting or standing. Its rust-resistant aluminum frame can hold up to 325 pounds and stands on slip-resistant rubber tips for maximum stability. BactiX antimicrobial production helps prevent both germs and odors from sticking to the chair. For durability, comfort, and cleanliness in bathing Alzheimer's patients, this HealthSmart chair is the perfect option to assist you and your loved one.

4. Baza Cleanse and Protect Perineal Lotion 8 oz

Helping maintain the hygiene of an Alzheimer's patient can be difficult, especially when they're infirm or unsteady. Bathing can be a difficult task, and incontinence can be common. Incontinence carries with it many complications, from dry, irritated skin to rashes to infection, and frequent cleaning following incontinent episodes can contribute to skin irritation. Baza Cleanse and Protect is an all-in-one lotion in an foaming, no-rinse format, packaged in a squeezable spray bottle for convenient application. Its 2% dimethicone formula moisturizes skin while providing a barrier to protect it from drying out. It's pH-balanced to be non-irritating, and it has both antimicrobial and deodorizing properties to allow caregivers to clean patients efficiently and completely. It's not always possible to bathe an incontinent patient in a bath or shower; when it's not, rely on Baza Cleanse and Protect.

5. Suction Cup Reacher

Dementia impacts more than just memory. Coordination and balance can also be disrupted by the impact of Alzheimer's disease. This may harm even the most basic activities we take for granted, such as reaching for items. Your loved one may have a limited range of motion, or balance impairments that can cause falls when reaching in formerly accessible places like closets or kitchen cabinets. A variety of reaching devices are available to assist with daily living, such as this Suction Cup Reacher. Lightweight and ergonomically designed, its trigger-style handgrips are easy for patients to use, and its slip-resistant suction cups allow for securely grabbing out-of-reach items.

6. Axona Powder Medical Food Packets

Alzheimer's disease inhibits the brain's ability to use glucose for energy, and this lack of energy further impairs cognition and memory. Axona Powder uses a formula of medium-chain triglycerides, a form of dietary fat more easily metabolized, as an alternative form of energy for cerebral function. Axona can be mixed with most liquids or soft foods, and taking it once a day can help enhance memory recall and preserve cognition in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. It's also safe to use with other common medications and treatments, and is strictly regulated by the FDA as a medical food. Caring for an Alzheimer's patient involves adapting every facet of a patient's daily activity to improve their quality of life, but dietary choices are often overlooked. Axona can help your loved one get the nutrients they need to preserve mental function and improve their memory.