Home Safety for Dementia: A Room-by-Room Guide for Caregivers

When your loved one with dementia is living at home, the house that felt safe for decades suddenly becomes full of hidden dangers. They might leave the stove on, wander outside at night, fall on stairs they've climbed thousands of times, or mistake cleaning products for beverages. You can't watch them every single second, and the constant worry about what could happen when you're not looking is exhausting.

Making your home safe for someone with dementia isn't about creating a padded room or removing everything they love. It's about thoughtfully identifying real risks and making targeted modifications that prevent the most dangerous accidents while preserving as much independence, dignity, and normalcy as possible. Small, strategic changes can dramatically reduce your stress and keep your loved one safer without making the house feel institutional.

In this guide, you'll learn the most important safety modifications for every room in the house, how to prioritize changes based on your loved one's specific stage and symptoms, inexpensive solutions that work as well as expensive ones, and how to balance safety with maintaining a homelike environment. You'll get practical room-by-room checklists you can actually use.

For comprehensive safety guidance, also see our home safety checklist for dementia.

If You Only Do 5 Things in the First Week

What Are the Most Dangerous Safety Risks for Someone with Dementia at Home?

Short answer: The biggest risks are wandering and getting lost, falls, fire (from cooking or smoking), poisoning (eating non-food items or taking wrong medications), and drowning or scalding in the bathroom. Address these first before worrying about smaller hazards.

Not all safety modifications are equally important. Some prevent inconveniences; others prevent death. Start with the life-threatening risks.

Understanding this hierarchy helps you make smart decisions about where to focus your limited time and money. For comprehensive strategies on preventing wandering, see our guide on dementia and wandering.

Kitchen Safety: Preventing Fire, Poisoning, and Burns

Short answer: The stove is the biggest hazard. Disable it, install automatic shut-offs, or supervise all cooking. Lock up cleaning products and knives. Remove small, swallowable items and simplify the space.

The kitchen contains multiple serious hazards clustered in one room. For many families, this is where the most significant modifications are needed.

Stove and Cooking Safety

• Install an automatic stove shut-off device: Products like iGuardStove or FireAvert detect when the stove has been left on and automatically shut it off after a set period. This is one of the best safety investments you can make.
• Disable the stove when not supervised: Turn off the breaker, remove knobs, or install a lock switch. If your loved one never cooks alone anyway, just disable it completely between supervised cooking times.
• Switch to a microwave for most heating: If they insist on preparing food themselves, guide them toward microwave use only, which is much safer than stovetops.
• Keep flammable items away from heat sources: Dish towels, paper products, and wooden utensils should be stored away from the stove and toaster.

Chemical and Poisoning Safety

• Lock all cleaning products in a cabinet: Install childproof locks on cabinets containing anything toxic: dish soap, surface cleaners, drain openers, furniture polish.
• Remove poisonous plants: Many common houseplants are toxic if ingested. Identify and remove any dangerous plants from the home.
• Lock up or remove alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption or drinking at inappropriate times becomes more likely as judgment declines.
• Store foods and non-foods separately: Don't keep dish soap under the sink right next to where food is stored. Clear physical separation reduces confusion.

Sharp Objects and General Safety

• Lock up or remove sharp knives: Keep one or two dull knives accessible for supervised use, but lock away chef's knives and meat cleavers.
• Unplug small appliances when not in use: Toasters, blenders, food processors should be unplugged and stored if your loved one might misuse them.
• Simplify cabinets and drawers: Remove excess items, duplicates, and things they don't need. Clutter causes confusion.

For more on helping someone with dementia maintain engagement in daily activities safely, see our guide on creating daily routines for someone with dementia.

Bathroom Safety: Preventing Falls, Scalding, and Drowning

Short answer: Install grab bars, non-slip mats, and raised toilet seats. Set water heater to 120°F maximum to prevent scalding. Never leave someone with advanced dementia alone in the bath.

Bathrooms are particularly dangerous because they combine fall risk (wet, slippery surfaces), injury risk (hard surfaces), and water hazards in a small, private space.

Fall Prevention

• Install grab bars near the toilet and in the shower or tub: These should be securely mounted to wall studs, not just adhesive bars.
• Use non-slip mats inside the tub or shower and on the bathroom floor: Stick-on treads inside the tub work well. Make sure bath mats have rubber backing that won't slide.
• Install a shower chair or bath bench: Sitting while bathing is much safer than standing.
• Raise the toilet seat: A raised toilet seat makes sitting and standing safer and easier.
• Ensure good lighting: Install bright, non-glare lighting, and consider a nightlight that stays on 24/7.

Water Temperature and Drowning Prevention

• Set water heater to 120°F or lower: This prevents scalding while still allowing comfortable showers.
• Install anti-scald devices on faucets: These automatically stop water flow if it exceeds a safe temperature.
• Never leave someone with moderate to advanced dementia alone in the bath: Drowning risk is real. They may fall asleep, forget where they are, or be unable to get out safely.

For more on managing hygiene tasks when someone resists, see our resource on when someone with dementia refuses to bathe.

Bedroom Safety: Preventing Falls and Wandering at Night

Short answer: Lower the bed, install bed rails or pool noodles under sheets to prevent rolling out, improve lighting for nighttime trips, and consider a bedside commode to reduce fall risk during bathroom trips.

Bed Safety

• Lower the bed to reduce fall injury: If they roll out or fall getting up at night, a lower bed reduces injury severity.
• Install bed rails or pool noodles: Bed rails can prevent rolling out during sleep. Alternatively, place pool noodles under the fitted sheet along bed edges.
• Place non-slip mats or carpet beside the bed: If they do get up at night, reduce the risk of slipping on hard floors.
• Keep a clear path from bed to bathroom: Remove all obstacles, furniture, and cords between the bed and bathroom door.

Lighting and Orientation

• Install motion-activated nightlights: These light the path from bed to bathroom automatically when they get up.
• Use a lamp with easy on/off switch: Place it within reach of the bed so they can turn it on before getting up.
• Place a large clock with day, date, and time visible: Orientation aids reduce anxiety when they wake confused.

Preventing Nighttime Wandering

• Install a bed alarm or motion sensor: Alerts you when they get up so you can assist before they fall or wander outside.
• Lock bedroom windows: If ground floor, secure windows so they can't be opened or climbed through.
• Place a bedside commode near the bed: Reduces the distance they need to walk at night, decreasing fall risk dramatically.

Living Room and Common Areas: Reducing Clutter and Fall Risks

Short answer: Remove tripping hazards like loose rugs and cords, improve lighting, arrange furniture to create clear walking paths, and remove or secure items that could cause injury.

Fall and Trip Prevention

• Remove all loose rugs or secure them: Throw rugs are extremely dangerous. If your loved one loves a particular rug, secure it properly or remove it entirely.
• Eliminate electrical cords in walkways: Run cords along baseboards, tape them down, or use cord covers.
• Arrange furniture to create clear, wide pathways: Your loved one should be able to walk from room to room without navigating obstacle courses.
• Remove low coffee tables and footstools: These are common tripping hazards, especially for people with depth perception problems.

Lighting and Visibility

• Install bright, even lighting throughout the space: Eliminate dark corners and shadows. Use multiple light sources at different levels.
• Add nightlights in hallways: Create a lighted path from bedroom to bathroom and to common areas.
• Use light switches at both ends of hallways and stairs: They should never have to walk through a dark space to reach a light switch.

Stairways: Making Them Safer or Avoiding Them Entirely

Short answer: Install secure handrails on both sides, improve lighting, add non-slip treads, ensure steps are clearly visible, and consider blocking access or moving living spaces to one floor if stairs are too dangerous.

Stairs are one of the most dangerous areas in a home for people with dementia. If possible, arrange living spaces to eliminate stair use entirely.

Stair Safety Modifications

• Install sturdy handrails on both sides of stairs: They should extend beyond the top and bottom steps and be securely mounted.
• Add non-slip treads to each step: Stick-on treads or paint with non-slip additive reduce slipping risk significantly.
• Mark the edge of each step clearly: Contrasting tape or paint on step edges helps with depth perception issues.
• Improve stair lighting: Install lights at top and bottom with switches at both locations.

Alternatives to Using Stairs

• Move bedroom to first floor: If your loved one's bedroom is upstairs, consider moving it to the main floor to eliminate daily stair use.
• Block stair access: Install a baby gate or locking door at top of stairs if your loved one wanders and might fall down stairs at night.
• Rearrange living spaces: Can you move the laundry room, bathroom, or kitchen to eliminate the need for stair use?

For comprehensive fall prevention strategies, see our guide on fall prevention strategies for dementia.

Exterior Doors and Outdoor Spaces: Preventing Wandering

Short answer: Install locks that are difficult to open (slide bolts at top and bottom, keypad locks), secure all exit points, camouflage doors, and create a safe outdoor space if they want to go outside.

Wandering outside and getting lost is one of the most dangerous behaviors in dementia. Preventing unsupervised exit is critical.

Door Security

• Install slide bolt locks at the top and bottom of exterior doors: These are harder to notice and operate than standard locks at handle height.
• Use keypad or keyless entry locks: Smart locks that require codes prevent them from leaving but allow you easy access.
• Add door alarms: Simple battery-powered alarms sound when doors open, alerting you to exit attempts.
• Camouflage doors: Paint doors the same color as walls, hang curtains over them, or place stop signs on them.

Safe Outdoor Spaces

• Create a secured, enclosed outdoor area: A fenced yard with locking gates allows them to go outside safely without wandering risk.
• Secure pool areas: Fencing with locked gates around pools is essential.
• Have them wear identification at all times: Medical alert bracelets or ID necklaces with name, address, and "memory impaired" can save lives.

For comprehensive wandering prevention strategies, see our guide on dementia and wandering: how to keep them safe.

Laundry Room, Garage, and Storage Areas: Locking Away Dangers

Short answer: Lock these rooms entirely if possible. They contain too many hazards (chemicals, tools, sharp objects, machinery) and aren't necessary for daily living.

Utility spaces are full of dangerous items and should be off-limits to someone with unsupervised dementia.

What to Lock Away or Remove

• All cleaning chemicals and laundry products: Detergents, bleach, fabric softener are poisonous and can be mistaken for beverages.
• All tools and power tools: Saws, drills, hammers, garden shears should be locked in the garage or shed.
• Automotive products: Gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze are extremely dangerous.
• Firearms and ammunition: These must be locked separately in a gun safe your loved one cannot access.

How Do I Decide Which Modifications to Make First?

Short answer: Start with changes that prevent death or serious injury (wandering prevention, stove safety, fall prevention), then address quality of life improvements. Revisit needs every three to six months as dementia progresses.

What Should We Expect as Dementia Progresses?

Short answer: Safety needs will increase over time. What works now won't be enough in six months or a year. Plan to reassess and add new modifications every few months as abilities decline.

Home safety is not a one-time project. As dementia progresses, new risks emerge and old solutions stop working.

• Early stage: Minor modifications like better lighting, door alarms, and medication management may be sufficient.
• Middle stage: More extensive modifications become necessary. Stove disabling, door locks, bathroom grab bars, and constant supervision in certain areas.
• Late stage: Even with extensive modifications, 24/7 supervision becomes necessary. At this point, many families need to consider whether home care is still feasible.

For guidance on recognizing when home modifications are no longer sufficient, see our resource on when to know it's time for memory care.

How CareThru Can Help You Manage Home Safety

Making your home safe for dementia involves dozens of tasks across multiple rooms, and it's easy to lose track of what you've done, what still needs attention, and what needs to be rechecked regularly.

CareThru lets you create a home safety checklist and track what modifications you've completed, what's in progress, and what's planned for the future. You can set reminders to check safety features periodically (testing door alarms, replacing nightlight bulbs, ensuring locks still work).

You can also document incidents (falls, near-misses, wandering attempts) to identify patterns and new risks that need to be addressed. If multiple family members are helping with care, everyone can see what safety measures are in place and what still needs attention.

Frequently Asked Questions About Home Safety for Dementia

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, occupational therapy, or home safety assessment. Always consult with appropriate professionals when making significant home modifications or safety decisions.

Final Thoughts: Safety and Dignity Can Coexist

Making your home safe for someone with dementia feels overwhelming. Every room contains potential hazards, and you're trying to protect someone who doesn't understand the dangers or may resent your efforts to keep them safe. You're balancing safety with dignity, protection with independence, and vigilance with your own exhaustion.

But here's what you need to remember: you don't have to make your home perfectly safe. You just need to reduce the biggest risks enough that you can breathe a little easier. Start with what will prevent the worst outcomes (wandering, falls, fire, poisoning), then layer in improvements as time and money allow.

Your home will never look exactly the same as it did before dementia, and that's okay. Some modifications will make the house feel different or less like "home." But creating a safe space where your loved one can move around with less risk and where you can sleep at night without constant terror is worth the trade-off.

Do what you can, when you can, with what you have. That's all anyone can ask of you.

For more support on your caregiving journey, explore our resources on creating daily routines and handling repetitive questions. You're not alone in this.