Looking for a barrier to keep my mom from falling down the stairs.

You described the house I grew up in to a T. I’m thinking you could have the door made to open outward so she wouldn’t have to back up toward the stairs on the landing to open it. Is it any safer for her to use the front door?

I’d be a little worried she woukd topple over a gate
I’d be more inclined to have safety rails to hold onto
the health specialist told my father to walk down stairs sideways for safety
holding onto banisters
so not backwards or front ways down stair - sideways and slowly
my dad still improvises and does a bit of both
so it’s finding what works for each person?
good luck

My grandmother had a sturdy bar that slid into a couple of brackets mounted on either side of the stairs.It was easy to lift and set it aside when she needed the stairs, just a little bit of reassurance against a misstep.

They now have roll up ones so when not in use it can be rolled back into the housing, many of my friends us it for their dogs. Light weight and easy to use.

A gate she might try to step over.
Is there a way a door could be put on?

Mooker3194, welcome to the forum. You presented an excellent question. I know exactly what you mean with the door/stairs. Hubby's parent's house had the same design.


I don't know if this can be done and hope I can explain this clearly. Have a new door put in place but with the hinges on the other side. That way when the door opens inward, it now blocks the basement stairs. And have something block the door so it doesn't open wide into the stairwell.


The only drawback would be if workman need to install something large in the basement, but they could take the door down during that process and re-install afterwards.

You have a serious concern on your mind, and I can guarantee that the concern is valid and the danger more imminent than it seems.

In my book, "Dementia Care Companion" pages 81 - 100, I have written about home safety in detail. Not just stairs, but bathroom, bedroom, hallways, kitchen, etc. I will copy a part of what I have written about stairs for your information.
T

he home environment can be a source of major hazards for a person living with dementia. Stairs and uneven surfaces, toilets and bathrooms, kitchen appliances and stoves, inadequate lighting, small rugs, slippery surfaces, children’s toys, clutter, and so on represent potential hazards, chief among them, the risk of falls and fractures.
Early in the course of dementia, survey your home for safety and patient comfort. Group home-improvement tasks into coherent sets, and tend to them in order so by the time care needs grow to a particular level, the required amenities are in place.
Stairs, Ramps, and Access
I used to barricade the stairs to the second floor with dining room chairs so I’d be alerted if my wife wanted to venture upstairs. One day, things were quiet for a while, so I peeked around the hallway to the stairs to make sure everything was alright. There was no sign of my wife. At the foot of the stairs, my barricade had been breached and, all the way at the top of the stairs, stood a solitary dining room chair. It hadn’t occurred to her to just put the chair aside; she had taken it with her, step by step, all the way to the top.
During the early and middle stages of dementia, when the patient is able to move about, ensuring patient safety can be especially challenging. Starting in the middle stage and into the late stage, ensuring wheelchair access to important areas such as bathrooms may need special planning.
It is important to assess your home early on, and plan any construction or alterations as soon as possible. The risks of falls and other accidents are present from the very beginning and only increase with time. Likewise, access and usability taken for granted today may not remain so for long. Although the patient may not need an access ramp just yet, it won’t be long before a ramp will be easier to climb than steps, and much safer.
If You Live in a Two-Story Home
One of the most popular story configurations for a residence is the two-story home, where the living spaces (kitchen, living room, etc.) are on the primary floor, and bedrooms and main bathrooms are upstairs. Unfortunately, the second floor will quickly grow inaccessible, even dangerous, for a patient with dementia.
·      If you live in a two-story home where the patient’s bedroom is upstairs, move their bedroom downstairs as soon as possible.
·      If the main bathrooms are located upstairs, you’ll need to make arrangements for when the patient is unable to walk or stand on their own, putting the upstairs bathrooms out of reach.
·      If you are considering installing a lift, be sure to consider all of the patient’s future needs, including wheelchair access and a hospital bed.
Stairs and Steps
Evaluate stairs and uneven surfaces and install the necessary safety measures to ensure safe and easy access.
·      Keep the stairs leading to the upper floor and the basement off-limits to the patient. Take whatever steps necessary to prevent the patient from venturing upstairs, or down to the basement.
·      In the early stage of dementia, the patient may be able to negotiate a few steps at a time, such as entrance steps to their home. Soon, however, the patient will find it hard, and ultimately impossible, to climb even a few steps.
·      Use anti-slip tape on steps to reduce the risk of slips and falls. Choose a tape with color that is different from the color of the steps so the patient can see the tape more easily.
·      Install handrails to help the patient feel more secure and stable as t

I would install a sturdy screen door at those stairs; this way to go down she'd need to have the side/entry door closed but then would purposely need to open the stairs door. You say you're concerned it would be a hindrance, but needing to make an intentional movement to go up and down the stairs would prevent an accidental fall downstairs. Even a half-door would work, sturdy enough to prevent a fall down but open at the top to not seem like a visual/cumbersome barrier; they can be charming, like old farmhouse doors.

My folks' home has a full flight of stairs leading to their basement. They are not as you come into the house, but they ARE just as you come out of one of the bathrooms. Before we brought her home from rehab, we were told we had to have a safety gate or something to block the stairs. Not sure where we got it, but we found a heavy duty, 4 1/2 foot safety gate that we attached to a stud in the wall at the top of the stairs. It has a latch that, so far, she hasn't been able to figure out. It opens outward, so that whomever opens it is backed away from the stairs, almost clear back into the bathroom. I remember finding it by Googling something to the effect of safety gates for seniors. If you have the ability to add a door with a lock on it, I would go that way. For us, that wasn't an option. We are 100% comfortable with the gate we put up.

I wouldn't use that door anymore. Try making the other one accessible for her. It might be a little longer to get to but it's an accident waiting to happen. My mother fell down carpeted stairs and got really lucky. We had to lay down a very large chair on its side so she couldn't get near them. Didn't want to install anything that would have any effect on selling her house. Buyers can be fickle.