Making Sure Billy
Stays Safe at Home

At the age of 86, Billy, a career Navy pilot and intelligence officer, is struggling with the debilitating effects of the daily confusion and memory loss related to his diagnosis of moderate-level Alzheimer's.

He lives at home in Boca Raton, Fla., with his wife, Mary, as she strives to make the best of the time they have left together. It isn't always easy for Mary and Butch, the couple's adult son, who are Billy's primary caregivers.

The mother-and-son care team turned to Elayne Forgie, a certified geriatric care manager and president of Elder Care at Home, for some hands-on, affordable tips to keep Billy's mind active and to improve his quality of life.

Forgie, an Alzheimer's and caregiving professional, knows that caring for a loved one with early memory loss or dementia can be both painful to watch and frustrating. The goal for Forgie is to find a way this family can help Billy safely navigate his way around his home, minimize his growing confusion, and stimulate his memory.

After spending a day with family, Forgie offers a series of simple and enjoyable solutions these caregivers can implement to help Billy trigger his short-term memory and conquer everyday tasks.  

In part one of our series, "When Memory Loss Hits Home: Seven Solutions for Billy," Forgie offers a series of tips for keeping Billy actively involved in his daily life and safe in his home.

On her wedding day, Mary had promised her husband Billy she'd always be there. With the help of these solutions, she can keep that promise she made to her husband.

Watch how we helped make life safer and easier for Billy's caregivers to manage.

Video Credits: For Ikana Media: Producer: Jamila Paksima; Editor: Steven Buckwalter; Camera and Sound: Warren Jones and Michael Stewart; Executive Producers: Janet Tobias and Flint Davis