Organization of the patient's daily life

Recommendations for organizing daily life for a person with dementia, aimed at safety, stress reduction, and maintaining independence:

Safety of the space

• Remove dangerous items: knives, matches, medicines, household chemicals.
• Install locks on windows, the oven, and drawers with sharp objects.
• Secure rugs and wires to avoid falls.
• Use night lights in the hallway and bathroom for orientation in the dark.

Simplifying everyday tasks

Clothing:

• Choose clothes with simple fasteners (Velcro, elastic bands).
• Arrange clothes in the order of wearing (underwear on top).

Meals:

• Serve food in simple dishes (without patterns or contrast to the table).
• Use plates with high edges and non-spill cups.
• Create a menu for the day to avoid the question "What to cook?"

Hygiene:

• Label tubes/bottles with large letters ("SHAMPOO", "TOOTHPASTE").
• Install handrails in the bathroom and a non-slip mat.

Navigation in the house

• Close "extra" rooms to avoid confusion.
• Install a GPS tracker on clothing if the person tends to wander out of the house.

Bright markers:

• Put pictures on doors (toilet — image of a toilet, kitchen — cup).
• Highlight light switches with contrasting paint.

Maintaining a routine

Daily schedule:

• Fixed times for meals, walks, and sleep.
• Use alarm clocks with melodic signals for reminders.

Checklists:

• A morning task list (wash, dress, have breakfast) with pictures.
• A medication schedule with time marks.

Maintaining independence

Simple tasks:

• Watering plants, dusting, folding napkins.

Stress-free choices:

• "Do you want to wear the blue or green shirt?", "Porridge or an omelet?"

Personal items in plain sight:

• Keep glasses, the remote, and keys in one place (e.g., a basket next to the chair).

Adapting to the stage of the disease

Early stage:

• Reminder stickers, electronic assistants (voice reminders).

Middle stage:

• Simplify the wardrobe, avoid gas stoves (use electric stoves).

Late stage:

• Disposable dishes, diapers, a bed with side rails.

Help for caregivers

Automation of daily tasks:

• Smoke detectors, an iron with auto-shutoff, smart speakers for voice control.

Rotation of duties:

• Create a schedule with relatives or hire a caregiver for part of the day.

Backup kit:

• Spare keys, extra clothes/underwear readily available.

Emotional comfort

Familiar items:

• Photos, favorite chair, a radio playing music from their youth.
• Tactile stimuli:
• Soft blankets, stress-relief toys, lavender sachets.
• Companion animals:
• If the person loved animals, get an aquarium or a robotic pet.

Important! Regularly review the organization of daily life: as dementia progresses, needs change. The main goal is to minimize stress for the patient and avoid caregiver burnout.