Alzheimers Feng Shui and the Room Lay Out, the Dad and Me Series Part 1

If so, then this is especially for you. If you are already an Alzheimer’s direct care giver then, in additional to qualifying for sainthood, this will no doubt seem familiar. But who knows, you may learn something too.
You will not find this to be article about Alzheimer’s disease itself, per se. To learn more about the disease research the internet at websites such as wikipedia.org, webmd.com, nia.nih.gov, alzheimers.org, mayoclinic.org, to name just a few. Or check out the many books, websites, forums, and even support groups for patient care, techniques and standards-of-care for the caregiver and family, end-of-life considerations, etc.
A Little Background
Dad, in mid-to-late-stage Alzheimer’s, is 84, resides in a memory care facility where his day-to-day care is provided by the staff. He is physically quite healthy, as is often the case with this insidious disease, and is capable of performing most ADL’s (Activities of Daily Living) without direct assistance: eat, bathe, go to the bathroom, although not without being prompted and supervised. He is funny, converses, cries and laughs. He can’t remember his age (thinks he’s 70), or any family members’ or relatives’ names. I, his eldest son, am “a guy he really likes because I come and visit”. I take him to his doctor appointments, out to lunch, to church, etc. He senses a connection but he’s just not sure what it is.
This is about about Dad and Me and what I wish I had been told before becoming responsible for him as well as what I’ve learned since. This is about stuff they don’t tell you about, gleaned from my own personal journey with Dad. Things I didn’t know to even ask about and never expected to have to deal with. You can’t make this stuff. It’s is real and true with no fictional, composite characters. Stuff learned through mistakes made, trial and error, even altered assumptions. Without a doubt, THERE IS MUCH THAT HASN’T BEEN WRITTEN about the day-to-day, mundane aspects of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s.
The All Important Room Layout
A hard, fast, all encompassing list is nearly impossible given that every one’s situation is a little different. However, there are some things our family figured out along the way.
1. Minimize the number of rooms. Less is more.
Dad’s living space is exactly 2 rooms: One room large enough to accommodate his recliner, bed, and couch, all in separate areas of the room, and a swing arm wall mounted TV for recliner or bed viewing, open shelving unit, and small desk. The other room is the bathroom. That’s it, period. Corridors leading to doors, to many rooms is just confusing and stressful. Simplify, simplify.
2. Easily accessed and easily seen.
Place pajamas, shoes, clothing, socks, belts, and other daily worn items, such that they are easy to access and easy to see. No cabinet doors or dresser drawers. Dad’s “personal stuff” (books, stuffed animals, etc) is on a shelving unit with open, easy access and no doors. Ditto with his clothes. No doors or obstructions blocking the view of where stuff is. Shoes sit in the open at the foot of the bed.
After an initial attempt organizing and labeling shelves and doors, we realized it didn’t as Dad still found it confusing. He may find an item but it never got put back “in the right place”. Visibility and accessibility pretty much solved the problem. Labeling and organizing is a thing of the past.
3. Bathroom Feng Shui, harmonious simplification.
In the bathroom, simplify the sink-top area as in 1 tooth brush, 1 comb, a single razor, etc. Keep extra t.p., shampoo, deodorant, bar soap, etc. on open shelves or see thru wire drawer units. Again, simplify.
4. Eliminate TV remote control confusion.
Powering the TV on and off, the cable box controls, changing channels, became difficult, frustrating, ultimately impossible for Dad. Our high tech solution? Obscure everything except power on/off, volume up/down, channel up, channel down buttons with masking tape. There are also new, elderly-friendly remotes available. In any case, simplify and end the confusion.
5. Remove all room obstructions.
Put all obstacles as in area rugs, coffee tables, phone cords, chairs, etc. at the perimeter of the room. Keep the center area of the room free of obstacles. Now that Dad gets up at 1am, get dressed, and ask for breakfast. One time he tripped on an area rug. Never again. It’s gone.
Up next? The billfold crisis, credit cards and money, the family photo album. Until then.