My mother has dementia and its become necessary to move her in with my family. She can walk ok but she's shaky, I need to keep her off the steps. For the sake of her safety and our privacy I need to keep her off the second level. The way the staircase is set up doesn't allow for a door. Any ideas?
Or maybe a high gate with lock?
Is your mother's bedroom on the first floor, or does she have the whole first floor like an apartment?
If it's only that her bedroom is on the first floor, put a lock on the outside of the door and lock her in at night.
My Moms room was in the lower level of our split level. The staircase was enclosed so I was able to place a gate on the first step to keep her in her room. It was too high for her to climb over.
Just read the curtain idea. Have it the same color as the walls that way it blends in. The reason the rug suggested works is because of depth perception, they lose it. I don't think the rug has to be round, just black. When Mom lived with me, my daughter recommended I get one of those memory foam rugs for her bath. They don't tend to move. The rubber on the bottom is different.
Is she supervised on the first floor? If you’re sure she’s still safe there, this may be a good time to consider other alternatives for her as they inevitably become necessary.
You should consider hiring an Occupational Therapist to come into your home to evaluate what needs to be done to make it a safe environment for your mother to live and thrive in. She can give you a bunch of ideas & recommendations including devices mom should use to keep her steady on her feet, ie: a walker or rollator. Having a dementia patient living in your home can be even trickier than having a toddler, what with things they can get into. You can use the same devices we used for our kids to baby proof the house, like the cabinet and drawer locks to keep mom out of areas that have chemicals or cleaning supplies in them. You can also install locks (high up) on the doors to outside so mom can't get out of the house and wander away at night. The OT can give you other ideas as well.
Best of luck to you!