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Dementia - keeping safe in the home

Dementia - home safety

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It is important to make sure the homes of people who have dementia are safe for them.

Safety Tips For The Home

Wandering can be a serious problem for people who have more advanced dementia. These tips may help prevent wandering:

• Place alarms on all doors and windows that will sound if they are opened.
• Place a Stop sign on doors to the outside.
• Keep car keys out of sight.

To prevent harm when someone with dementia does wander:

• Have the person wear an ID bracelet or necklace with their name, address, and phone number on it. Include a caretaker's contact information, if possible.
• Tell neighbors and others in the area that the person who has dementia may wander. Ask them to call you or to help them get home if this happens.
• Fence and close off any areas that may be dangerous, such as a stairwell, a deck, a hot tub, or a swimming pool.
• Consider giving the person a GPS device or a cell phone with a GPS locator embedded in it.

Inspect the person's house and remove or reduce hazards for tripping and falling.

Do not leave a person who has advanced dementia alone at home.

Lower the temperature of the hot water tank. Remove or lock up cleaning products and other items that may be poisonous.

Make sure the kitchen is safe by:

• Removing knobs on the stove when it is not in use.
• Locking up sharp objects.

Remove, or store the following in locked areas:

• All medicines, including the person's medicines and any over-the-counter medicines and supplements.
• All alcohol and illegal drugs.
• All weapons and guns. Separate ammunition from the guns.

Related Information

References

Alzheimer's Association website. Dementia care practice recommendations. www.alz.org/professionals/professional-providers/dementia_care_practice_recommendations. Accessed April 20, 2026.

Budson AE, Solomon PR. Life adjustments for memory loss, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia. In: Budson AE, Solomon PR, eds. Memory Loss, Alzheimer's Disease, and Dementia. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 28.

Knopman DS. Cognitive impairment and dementia. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 371.

National Institute on Aging website. Alzheimer's caregiving: home safety tips. www.nia.nih.gov/health/safety/alzheimers-caregiving-home-safety-tips. Updated August 2, 2024. Accessed April 211, 2026.

Review Date: 4/9/2026  

Reviewed By: Frank D. Brodkey, MD, FCCM, Associate Professor, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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