[Safety at home for people with dementia: Preliminary evaluation of situations-at-risk in a French geriatric memory clinic].

Abstract

Community-dwelling people with Alzheimer's disease are exposed to situations-at-risk at home, but this phenomenon has rarely been studied empirically. The purpose of this pilot study was to describe the safety problems experienced at home in a sample of patients with dementia seen in a memory clinic, and also to identify the factors associated with these situations-at-risk. Study participants were 38 demented persons who were living at home, and assessed in a memory clinic with a caregiver-relative. Caregiver-relatives took part in a semi-structured interview in which they completed a French version of the Safety Assessment Scale (Poulin de Courval et al., 2006). The results show that all people with dementia were exposed to risks at home. Patients living alone were perceived to be more at risk at home than those living with someone. The most commonly reported risks concerned fire, nutrition and polymedication. The assessment gathers interesting information, addressing a wide range of risks at home. The Safety Assessment Scale is a useful tool to detect the risks at home and to focus the interview with the caregivers towards their prevention, since improvements are likely to enhance safety.