What is one safety measure to take that will prevent head injury in later stages of dementia?Never leaving the person living with dementia’s sideGiving the person living with dementia a walkerSeat the person at a table and use Hand-under-Hand™ for transitions and movement

Why does the risk of head injury with falls increase with dementia?The protective, safety-awareness part of the brain is dying, so there is lessened ability to move in a way that protects the headWith a larger brain than normal, people living with dementia don’t get hurt as much with head injuryPeople living with dementia simply fall more often, so all body parts increase in injury

A family member who is the caregiver for a patient with Moderate Alzheimer’s disease (Middle Stage) asks for advice on safety measures that can be taken to keep the patient safe due to wandering. Which option below is NOT an appropriate safety measure for the caregiver to take? aDisplay signs throughout the house to identify the rooms bConsider a GPS tracking device system for the patient cEncourage social interaction by taking the patient to a shopping mall dObscure assess to exit doors and windows

What is an important safety measure for a person on Alzheimer's disease and dementia medications?Monitor for diarrhea or constipation.Monitor for joint pain and muscle soreness.Implement seizure precautions.Monitor for urinary urgency and frequency.

Hunter et al, 2017 CanadaBalancing safety andharm for older adults withdementia in ruralemergency departments:health professionals'perspectivesInterpretative,descriptive exploratorydesign: social ecologicalperspectivePurposive/snowballingsamplingTo understand safetyand harm in rural EDtransitional care forcommunity-dwellingolder adults withdementia fromperspectives of HPs.HPs asked to describetheir experiences ofworking with olderpeople with dementiaand their caregivers inED2 small rural EDs (95inpatient beds/76inpatient beds)12 healthprofessionals: nurses,social worker,occupational therapist,physiotherapist,medicsSemi-structuredinterviewsHP perspectives: ED ischallenging for olderpeople with dementia.Chaotic andovercrowded. Thisgroup not a prioritydue to priorities ofemergency care. HPsometimes too busy togive proper care to thisgroup. Competingpressures in triage.HPs experience moraldistress when theycannot provide carethat they should beable to give. Negativeconsequences: no safespace, no quietenvironment. HPssensitive to familymember situation.Need to look at olderpeople with dementiaand family member asa complete package—obligations to bothSmall ED can be ofbenefit: potential toget older person withdementia out of EDfaster due to goodcommunity links.Disadvantages: makingassumptions orbecoming complacentabout patients whoare well known to HPsMaking things better:more resources,valuing contribution offamily members whocould provide care inED. Changing triageapproach to olderpeople with dementia,getting to know theperson beyond thesuperficial, betterdischarge planning

safety precautions for elderly when in a new setting