Dementia Home Safety Checklist for Philadelphia

Families caring for someone in Philadelphia can use the same room-by-room steps whether the person is living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. Recheck the home as needs change, because a setup that worked last month may not be safe after a new fall, a hospital stay, or more nighttime wandering.

Why Home Safety Matters for Dementia Care

Home safety matters because dementia can change memory, judgment, depth perception, and the ability to notice danger, which raises the chance of falls, burns, poisoning, and getting lost. A room-by-room review helps you remove hazards before an accident happens instead of reacting after one.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, and related conditions can also affect daily function over time. The CDC overview of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias explains how thinking and everyday tasks can change as the condition progresses.

Use this checklist with the person's own clinicians and with anyone who shares caregiving. Do not treat this page as medical advice, and do not assume any clinic or agency endorses a particular service.

How to Use This Room-by-Room Checklist

Walk the house at the person's usual pace, at the time of day when they are most active, and again after dark so you can see lighting and nighttime risks. Bring a notepad, check one room fully before moving on, and fix the highest-risk items first: fire, falls, wandering, and anything that can be swallowed or spilled.

Repeat the walk-through after any change in mobility, vision, sleep, or confusion. A fresh review is also wise after a hospital stay, when hospital discharge care can help the first days back home go more safely.

Whole-Home Safety Basics

Start with lighting, clear walkways, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and a simple emergency plan before you tackle individual rooms. These whole-home steps protect every space the person uses.

• Replace burned-out bulbs and add night lights in hallways, bathrooms, and near the bed.
• Remove throw rugs, extension cords, and clutter from walking paths.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly and keep a fire extinguisher where you can reach it quickly.
• Post emergency numbers in large print near the main phone, and keep a current medication list with the person's name and address.
• Make sure every caregiver, including weekend or overnight help, knows how to unlock doors and windows in a fire.
• Lower the water heater temperature so tap water is less likely to scald.
• Keep a spare house key with a trusted neighbor or family member.

Kitchen Safety Checklist

The kitchen is one of the highest-risk rooms because of heat, sharp tools, appliances, and items that can be eaten or spilled by mistake. Supervise cooking whenever possible and remove or lock away anything that can cause a fire or injury when used without help.

• Store knives, scissors, matches, lighters, and alcohol in latched drawers or a locked cabinet.
• Unplug or remove the toaster, blender, electric kettle, and similar small appliances when they are not in use.
• Consider a stove knob cover, an automatic shut-off device, or turning off the gas or breaker when no one can watch the stove.
• Keep cleaning products, dishwasher packets, and pet food out of sight and out of easy reach.
• Use appliances with auto-off features when you replace older ones.
• Label frequently used cabinets with simple words or pictures if that helps the person stay oriented.
• Check the refrigerator often for spoiled food, and discard items that are expired or hard to identify.
• Remove decorative soaps, magnets, and fake fruit that could be mistaken for food.

If meals, snacks, or stove use now need steady supervision, companion care during the day can add another set of eyes in the kitchen.

Bathroom Safety Checklist

Bathroom changes that reduce slips, scalds, and locked-door emergencies are among the most useful safety steps you can take at home. Falls often happen on wet floors, getting in or out of the tub, or rushing to the toilet at night.

• Install grab bars at the toilet and in the shower. Do not rely on towel bars to hold body weight.
• Add a non-slip bath mat inside the tub or shower and a non-slip rug on the floor.
• Use a shower chair and a hand-held shower head if standing is tiring or unsteady.
• Set water temperature so it cannot get hot enough to burn, and mark the safe faucet position if that helps.
• Remove door locks from the bathroom, or keep an emergency key so no one can become trapped inside.
• Store medications, razors, hair dryers, and cleaning products in a locked cabinet.
• Keep the path from bedroom to bathroom well lit at night.
• Consider a raised toilet seat if sitting down or standing up has become hard.

If bathing, dressing, or toileting now needs hands-on help, personal care can support those tasks while you keep the bathroom set up for safety.

Bedroom Safety Checklist

A safer bedroom is a low-clutter room with a stable bed height, easy-to-reach light, and a clear path to the bathroom. Nighttime confusion is common, so plan for darkness, not only daytime use.

• Keep a lamp or night light within reach of the bed, and use a switch that is easy to find by touch.
• Place the bed at a height that makes sitting and standing easier, and consider a bed rail only if a clinician or therapist has advised one.
• Remove extra furniture, loose rugs, and piles of clothes from walking paths.
• Keep only needed clothing in easy reach so dressing stays simpler.
• Lock away heating pads, electric blankets, and space heaters when they are not supervised.
• If the person gets up often at night, add a motion night light or a simple bed-exit alarm that alerts a caregiver nearby.
• Keep glasses, hearing aids, and a flashlight in the same spot every night.

If nights are no longer safe with one tired family caregiver, 24-hour live-in care can provide overnight supervision without moving the person out of the home.

Living Room and Common Area Checklist

Living rooms and family rooms are safer when furniture is stable, walkways are wide, and breakable or swallowable items are out of reach. These spaces often have cords, low tables, and clutter that are easy to trip over.

• Anchor tall bookcases, TVs, and unsteady lamps so they cannot tip.
• Choose chairs with firm arms that make standing up easier.
• Round off or pad sharp coffee-table corners, or move low tables out of the main path.
• Hide or cover cords, and keep remotes and phones in one consistent place.
• Remove or lock away guns, ammunition, power tools stored in a den, and alcohol.
• Keep the floor clear of magazines, pet toys, and shoes.
• Use contrasting colors on chair seats and toilet lids if the person has trouble seeing edges.

Stairs, Hallways, and Lighting

Stairs and hallways need sturdy handrails, even lighting, and nothing on the steps so the person can see each surface clearly. Poor lighting and visual clutter are common reasons people miss a step or turn the wrong way.

• Install handrails on both sides of stairs if you can, and check that they are tight.
• Add bright, even lighting at the top and bottom of stairs, and avoid single dim bulbs that create shadows.
• Use contrasting tape on the edge of each step if depth perception has declined.
• Keep stairs free of laundry baskets, shoes, and decorations.
• Consider a safety gate at the top and bottom of stairs if the person is at high risk of falling and a caregiver is always home to open it in an emergency.
• Make sure hallways are wide enough for a walker if one is used.

Doors, Windows, and Wandering Prevention

Door and window safety should slow an unsafe exit without trapping anyone inside during a fire. Wandering is a leading reason families need more supervision, especially in the late afternoon and at night.

• Add door chimes, pressure mats, or simple alarms that alert you when an exterior door opens.
• Keep car keys, spare keys, and garage remotes out of sight.
• Place locks higher or lower than eye level only if fire escape is still fast and every caregiver knows how to open them.
• Never lock a person in a room or home in a way that blocks escape during a fire or medical emergency.
• Use an ID bracelet or clothing label with a name and emergency contact.
• Tell trusted neighbors what to do if they see the person outside alone.
• Camouflage a door with a mural, curtain, or cloth cover only as a last layer, not as a substitute for supervision.

If exits need watching for many hours a day, memory care at home can add structured supervision while the person stays in a familiar house.

Laundry, Utility, and Medication Storage

Laundry rooms, utility closets, and medicine cabinets should stay locked or latched because detergents, tools, and pills are easy to mistake for food or candy. One unlocked cabinet can undo a careful kitchen or bathroom setup.

• Store all medications, including over-the-counter pills, vitamins, and patches, in a locked box.
• Use a weekly pill organizer only if a caregiver fills it and checks that doses were taken.
• Lock away bleach, detergent pods, pesticides, paint, antifreeze, and automotive fluids.
• Unplug the washer and dryer or use child-proof controls if the person turns machines on and off.
• Keep the iron and ironing board out of sight.
• Secure the thermostat if frequent changes are causing the house to become dangerously hot or cold.

Garage, Yard, and Outdoor Safety

Garages, sheds, and yards need locked tools, secure gates, and a clear, well-lit path back to the door. Outdoor spaces feel familiar, which can make leaving the property look harmless to the person even when it is not safe.

• Lock the garage, shed, and any cabinet that holds tools, gasoline, fertilizers, or car chemicals.
• Keep the car locked and store keys separately from the house key if driving is no longer safe.
• Check fences and gates, and repair gaps a person could walk through.
• Cover or fence pools, hot tubs, and ponds, and never leave them accessible without supervision.
• Remove or lock grills, propane tanks, and lawn equipment.
• Add lighting along steps, porches, and the path to the trash or mailbox.
• Bring the person inside before weather turns very hot or very cold, and watch for clothing that does not match the season.

When Extra Help at Home Makes Sense

Extra in-home help makes sense when safety problems keep returning even after you adapt the house, or when family caregivers can no longer watch the person through high-risk hours. A safer layout is only part of the plan. Someone still needs to notice a stove left on, a wet bathroom floor, or an unlocked door.

Families often start with a few hours of supervision and later add overnight or live-in support if wandering, falls, or sundowning increase. Respite care can also give the primary caregiver a break so exhaustion does not become the next safety risk.

If you want research-based information on Alzheimer's disease, the National Institute on Aging list of Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers is a starting point for education. That directory does not endorse any private home-care service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first room I should safety-proof for dementia?
Start with the kitchen and bathroom, then check doors and stairs, because burns, scalds, falls, and unsafe exits cause many home injuries. After those spaces are safer, walk the bedroom and outdoor areas at night as well as during the day.

How do I keep someone with dementia from turning on the stove?
Unplug or remove small appliances, use knob covers or an automatic shut-off if you have one, and turn off the stove's power or gas when no one can watch. Supervision during meals is still needed, because a determined person may find another heat source.

What bathroom changes help prevent falls at home?
Grab bars, non-slip mats, a shower chair, bright night lighting, and a clear path from the bed to the toilet prevent many bathroom falls. Remove or override interior locks so the person cannot become trapped, and lock away medications and razors.

How can I reduce nighttime wandering without locking someone in unsafely?
Use door chimes, night lights, a clear bathroom path, and overnight supervision rather than barricading exits. Every caregiver must be able to open doors quickly in a fire. If nights are no longer manageable, consider overnight or live-in help instead of locking the person in.

Do I need to hide car keys and garage remotes?
Yes. Store car keys, spare keys, and garage remotes out of sight as soon as driving or leaving alone is no longer safe. Also lock the garage and any cabinet that holds tools or gasoline so those spaces are not a second way out.

How often should we repeat a home safety walk-through?
Repeat the walk-through whenever mobility, vision, sleep, or confusion changes, and after any fall or hospital stay. A monthly sweep of medications, spoiled food, smoke alarms, and outdoor gates is a useful habit even when things seem stable.

When should our family add in-home help for dementia safety?
Add help when the person cannot be left alone in the kitchen or near exits, when falls or wandering continue after you change the house, or when the family caregiver cannot stay alert through nights and weekends. Companion care, personal care, memory care at home, respite, or 24-hour support can match the hours that are hardest to cover.