Environmental Suggestions

  • Minimise clutter and remove potentially flammable materials from in and around the home to reduce risk of accidental fire. For example, newspapers left near where a person with dementia is smoking or petrol and other flammable materials in a garage or shed may have the potential to catch fire if a cigarette is forgotten and falls on them.

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  • Develop a routine to provide some level of safety and prevent the person with dementia feeling as though they are being monitored. For example, having a cigarette after a meal and in a defined area means the person with dementia continues their preferred habit whilst providing the opportunity for the person supervising to engage in social interaction with them.

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  • Sleeves with snug fitting cuffs are preferable to loose fitting long sleeved shirts or blouses which may catch alight if ash or a cigarette is dropped.