A problem with light and switch

French

Every night now, I note that my partner sleep with the light on. Sometimes it is on when he goes to bed and he let it all the night. Sometimes it is because He goes to the toilets and doesn’t turn it off when coming back. In the toilets, light is also on... no matter (Even if difficult for me, I stopped caring about energy) nobody sleeps there. But in the bedroom I imagine that it’s not the best to have a good sleep. 

Every morning I ask him to turn the ligh off... if I didn’t it would be one the whole day also.

Yesterday I saw him looking at the bulb and asked him what was the problem. He answered : «  It’s on the ceiling, I can’t switch it off « . I now understand that it’s not because he forgets but because he doesn’t know how to. However, he has found the switch to turn it on... when he need the light it’s a reflex. But when he want to turn it off he certainly thinks and looks at the bulb, what doesn’t lead him to the solution.

I searched solutions. 

* A bedside lamp, he can't figure out how to turn it on at night.

* a second switch for the ceiling lamp, placed near his bed... not sure he will find it. Perhaps if I put color on it or an arrow on the wall directed toward it.

* a nightlight with a movement detector... it could work if he brings it when going to the toilets. But not sure he will.

Did you tried something like that ?

Ed1937

Night lights use very little electricity, and you could leave them on all night. Here's a link to just a few. https://www.penglight.com/best-plug-in-night-lights/   Amazon should have tons of them.

Iris L.

In the beginning of my memory loss journey, my mother once asked if I could prepare some soup. I told her I didn't know how to get the soup out of the can.  She began to cry, so I never mentioned that again.  I don't have Alzheimer's Disease, my cognitive losses are from medical diseases and I had some type of delirium.  But I certainly understand how your DH can not remember how to turn off the light switch.  

Iris

Bholmes

I tried both a movement detector light and then one that turns on and displays when room was dark (we had skylight in bathroom and so light only came on at night).

The problem I faced was DW would not turn on light most the time and thus some kind of light was needed in the bathroom.

The issue with the motion sensor - was it tended to go off too quickly, as DW was still on the seat in bathroom etc - not moving and then she got scared in the dark etc. I found the one to come on when at night a better fit for the bathroom.

The bedroom I used a motion sensor - one that provided enough light if she got up. I got up with her 99.9 % of the time.

There are now smart light bulbs that might make it easier - set at certain time or use voice command to turn on - if that is feasible. I use one like that in my computer room thru the Alexa App.

I am sorry you are going through this.

sandwichone123

There are little disk lights you can get (battery power) that you can turn on/off by pushing on the light itself. That might make more sense to your LO.

caberr

I found a sensor light bulb at Home Depot that I put in the hall so when either of us gets up during the night the light comes on and stays on for about 10 minutes.  It comes on even before we leave the bedroom so don't need to be directly under it.

French

Thank you for sharing your experience.

First I have changed the bulb for a less powerful one so that even if he let it on, it won’t be completely bright in his room. I will buy lamps with detector... and we will see if it works.