Keeping yourself safe

I have a Nest CCTV camera outside, so I can see who is there.

I have a perceptual problem coming down stairs. So I look to the side so I can see the gaps.  I am also painting my steps white, and will have runners.

I have a Zimmer frame both upstairs and downstairs for my balance, and I use a crutch outside.

I’ve bought a lot of equipment and have got a stairlift and a wet room from Social Services.

Don’t be shy of asking for help. Almost everyone will gladly help you.

I don’t like the dark at all now because of my dementia; I see shadows that aren’t there and it scares me. So I have a little lamp in my bedroom and I have an emergency night light, which I [...]

I have recently bought a motion-sensor light for the toilet. So when I get up in the night I don’t have to put the bathroom light on. A blue light appears in the toilet: blue’s quite soothing on [...]

The fire brigade have put red labels on my smoke alarms, so I can see them to check them. Because I can’t see white on white very well. (Listen to Tracey Shorthouse’s Dementia Diary here).

I’ve had to bite the bullet and accept things to get to live better. So I have special equipment in the house like grab rails in the bathroom. And I have an extra bannister on the stairway, [...]

Get an OT assessment – sooner rather than later.