For people living with dementia, increased confusion is often the first symptom of any illness.
If an individual living with dementia shows rapidly increased confusion, contact your health care provider for advice.
People living with dementia may need extra and/or written reminders and support to remember important hygienic practices from one day to the next.
Consider placing signs in the bathroom and elsewhere to remind people with dementia to wash their hands with soap for 20 seconds.
Demonstrate thorough hand-washing.
Alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can be a quick alternative to hand-washing if the person with dementia cannot get to a sink or wash his/her hands easily.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor about filling prescriptions for a greater number of days to reduce trips to the pharmacy.