Seatbelt Locks For Alzheimer’s Or Dementia Patients Make It Much Safer To Travel For Passenger And Driver
I’ve recently joined a Facebook board called Mother and Son’s Journey With Dementia. If you have an elderly loved one with dementia, that board is a wonderful place to get some help from others walking in your shoes. It was started by a gentleman named Joey to chronicle his mother’s Alzheimer’s disease .
While reviewing some posts on the board, I see that people have problems controlling dementia patients while in the car. These patients like to, for some reason, unbuckle their seatbelts. This action, of course, is very dangerous for both passenger (being unrestrained) and driver (trying to rebuckle).
So, I took to my favorite site, Amazon.com, to see if there was some sort of solution to keep Alzheimer’s or dementia patients in their place in the car.
And, there are as you’ll see below.
As a side note: I salute all of you caregivers, sons, daughters, wives and husbands having to deal with this very cruel disease. You are the best. Simply the best.
Seatbelt Locks For Alzheimer’s Or Dementia Patients
Below are some seatbelt locks that may help with these exact situations. These seatbelt locks make it virtually impossible for an Alzheimer’s patient to unlock the seat belt themselves, thereby keeping them exactly where they need to be!
Buckle Boss Seat Belt Guard – Helps Keep Kids and Disabled Adults Safely Buckled Up!
Buckle Guard Seat Belt Covers (Black, Pack of 2) — Deters Disabled Adults from opening their Seat Belt Buckles while Riding in a Motorized VehiclePremium Safety Seatbelt Secure Buckle Cover By Wididi – Prevent Your Child From Unintentionally Releasing The Seatbelt – Heavy Duty Durable Plastic – Universal Fit Design
Medical Alert Seat Belt Covers For Alzheimer’s Or Dementia Patients
God forbid an accident should happen while your elderly loved one is in the car. If ambulance attention is needed, one of these medical alert seat belt covers will make sure that the medics are instantly in the know.
Special Needs Medical Alert Seatbelt CoverMediPal Seatbelt ID- Alerts Emergency Staff to Patient’s Medical Health Condition for Those with Autism, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Stroke, Arthritis, Asthma, Allergies, on Multiple meds
I have tried the cover buckle and the strap over shoulder. But some how she can move around and get out enough to cause a accident. I am not sure if you may know another item to use for her.
Bernadette, I am SO sorry for you and the one for who you are driving. I looked online and the best I can find is someone suggesting putting oven mitts on the hands and taping them over the wrists, thereby stopping her from using her hands. That will solve the problem of the seatbelt I suppose…
Another suggested getting a long scarf, or whatever you feel comfortable with, and wrap it around her and tie it behind the seat. She won’t be able to untie it herself (note: keep some sort of knife close by in case of emergency you can undo it quickly).
Other suggestions:
Others use distraction – ear phones and music, handing them an actual paper atlas to flip through. Others have put tape over the inside door handle which works for the door but still not for the seatbelt.
There’s something called a ‘Posey Jacket’ but I don’t know anything about it. http://shop.posey.com/Posey/Patient-Restraint/Jackets-and-Vests-Restraint.aspx
I hope you can find a solution, Bernadette. I really do. Please keep me informed if you will. Best Wishes, Lori
At what point do these tools for safety, become considered abusive/restraints please? My Son is 44 and ‘seems’, fine to outsiders looking in.
I’ll tell you the truth; if I had someone more at risk of opening a door and falling out of a moving car, these seatbelts would be 100% in my car.