Dad has early dementia and wanders at night. How do we keep him safe without locking doors?
Mr Koh, 81, has early dementia. He lives with his daughter Shirley's family.
“We didn't have to lock him in. We just needed to know.”
What happened
He gets up confused at night, while everyone else is asleep.
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2:15 am
Looking for the kitchen in the dark, he falls in the living room.
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20 seconds later2:15 HeatSignow Immobility alert Mr Koh · Living room No movement for 20 seconds
Shirley's phone wakes her. Her husband Ben's buzzes too.
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2:20 am
Shirley finds him by the sofa, calms him and helps him up.
What you can do
- Put night lights along the routes he walks: bed, toilet, kitchen.
- A simple door chime tells you when the front door opens at night.
- Ask his doctor about night waking; sleep, light and medicines can all play a part.
