This article is based on information provided by Home Instead Senior Care.
Dementia can affect judgment and insight, which leads to difficulty with decisions. If your loved one has been making choices that seem inappropriate, you may consider the following tips to help keep everyone in your family more safe:
· Silence the phone to guard against scam calls.
· When your loved one answers the phone, listen to determine who’s on the other end—scammers target older adults with dementia.
· Watch out for unusual activity.
· Get to know your loved one’s neighbors and ask whether they would agree to be on the lookout out for suspicious activity and strangers.
· Check activity on financial accounts every day and be prepared to cancel or curtail credit cards if you need to.
· If your loved one tends to keep rolls of cash, keep her supplied with bills in small denominations.
· Stay on top of your loved one’s purchases and keep them visible.
· Pay attention to your loved one’s interactions with people who come by.
· If your loved one tries to give away something of value, it may be time to store it in a locked box.
· Have a talk about her charitable giving and come up with a plan you both agree on.
· If your loved one has a pet, make sure the animal is receiving good care.
· Allow yourself to ask for help from friends and family when necessary.
· Remember to keep safety at the forefront.
· Whenever possible, include your loved one in important decisions, in order to protect his or her dignity and self-esteem.
