Allyson Schrier, founder and CEO of Zinnia TV, joins Suzanne to talk about things in an environment that we should be mindful of if we have someone with dementia in our lives. Environmental wellness is one of the 8 foundational principles of wellness, a focus of the Vitality Revolution podcast series sponsored by Humana.
Allyson says, “I guess I’ll start with clutter. It becomes increasingly difficult for people to find things when they are living with dementia, and also decision-making becomes very, very challenging. So when I’m talking about clutter, I am talking about things like tripping hazards, of course… Obvious things that people could trip over… throw rugs are a very, very bad idea, especially when we have people who are maybe using a walker.
“Also make it easier for people to find things. So if for instance, the things that my mom really uses all the time are maybe her TV remote and cell phone, for instance, then on the table next to where she sits should just be those two things.
“Similarly, I think about a person’s closet. In your mind, go into your own closet. I want people to be really, really successful in what they set out to do when they have dementia. And I want them to do as much as they can for themselves as long as possible. Maybe what I do, I just leave in the closet the four shirts that they most love, two pairs of pants that they most love. And as their dementia progresses, maybe I change that up, so there’s just one shirt and one pants. So when I say, ‘hey, why don’t you go get dressed?’ they can easily find the things that they need.”
Allyson cites a number of other helpful tips involving the kitchen, floors, and yards.
Learn more about
* Zinnia TV subscriptions, with a two-week free trial: https://www.zinniatv.com/
* Allyson Schrier: https://www.zinniatv.com/about
* The Vitality Revolution podcast series: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/
* Humana: https://www.humana.com/
* Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/welcome-to-answers-for-elders/
Hear more
* Podcasts with Allyson Schrier at Answers for Elders: https://answersforelders.com/tag/allyson-schrier/
* Articles and podcasts about Environmental Wellness: https://answersforelders.com/vitality-revolution/environmental-wellness/
Answers for Elders is part of the SeniorResource Network: https://www.seniorresource.com/
Check out our affiliate podcast Alzheimer’s Speaks: https://alzheimersspeaks.com/
