If the Alzheimer’s patient you are caring for uses an electronic blanket, you may want to think about replacing it with a normal blanket. A UK newspaper, The Mercury, reported:
A PENSIONER with Alzheimer’s disease suffered serious burns after leaving her electric blanket on throughout the night, an inquest heard.
Instead of an electric blanket or electric heating pad, consider using a hot water bottle. This way, there is no way for Alzheimer’s patients to change settings or turn a warming device on and burn themselves.
If you are a caregiver for a loved one and need help with Alzheimer’s care check us out for the best in home health care wherever you are.
Posted by
This is very good advice to keep in mind…the dangers of using an electric blanket for an Alzheimer’s patient. I’m going to refer the readers of my Alzheimer’s Notes to this post in your blog.
Comment by Mary Emma Allen - November 30, 2006 11:20 am
[…] Katelyn, posting on Life Without Memories (http://alzheimersadvocacy.com/2006/11/29/electric-blankets-are-a-safety-concern-for-alzheimers-patients/) mentions a very real danger when we’re caring for Alzheimer’s patients…letting them use an electric blanket. She refers to an article that tells of an elderly Alzheimer’s patient experiencing burns, apparently by turning the electric blanket to “high” while her caregiver husband was sleeping. […]
Pingback by Alzheimer’s Notes » Using Electric Blankets with Alzheimer’s Patients - November 30, 2006 12:06 pm
Yes, it is terrifying to think of all the things we’d never consider dangerous until it is too late.
Comment by Katelyn - December 1, 2006 7:25 am