small tailspins

M1

Funny (not) how many things we take for granted.  The remote for the TV in my partner's bedroom went out--she had trouble working it, but managed--so I called for a new one.  But I didn't think to ask for the old model.  This one is different, and she can't figure it out and couldn't even find it this morning because it looks different (there's that visual anosognosia again).  Sigh.  Called again, and they don't even make the old version any more.  Going to see if maybe I can switch it around, I still have one of the old ones for another set.  But it's one more thing....the drip, drip, drip continues.

Jo C.

Oh gosh; if it isn't one thing . . . . . sometimes it is the small things that drive us to distraction . . . . so hope that you are able to work it out.  Will go a long way in having a LO not having frustrated meltdowns.

You are awesome in your caring and your care; your LO is indeed blessed.

J.

Beachfan

I do NOT have dementia and I am frustrated as can be with my recently acquired “updated” remote.  Instead of the small buttons, there are small pads with subtle raised areas on them.  They almost feel like the Braille alphabet on the training cards.  I have to look at the remote and feel for the sweet spot.  Cannot imagine how awful this would be for someone with dementia.  Grrrr. Technology!  I’m not a fan.

DrinaJGB

I recall with a  nostalgic sigh how easy it used to be to simply turn on the TV and watch it. Not anymore. You practically have to be an engineer now.

Iris L.

There is a very simple remote that has only up and down for channels and for volume.  I don't have a link but you could search for "simple remote."  

Iris

Ed1937

My wife lost the ability to use a remote some time ago. But sometimes she will ask me to get (the program) three to eleven. There is no such thing. I never know what she wants, but she never knows what is on anyhow. After I try changing channels that I think she might want to watch, she will get upset with me because I don't know what she wants. Then she'll tell me to give her the remote, and she'll get what she wants.  Then it usually goes to "Pause", and she gets stuck. What happened to the good old days when we had three channels and an off/on switch? Oh yeah, and vertical and horizontal hold adjustments.

Jo C.

So  . . .. here are some examples for simple to use TV remotes.  The big button one with the wrist strap comes in white or black.  The Flipper Big Button one is unique.

Flipper has easy to use buttons for the compromised Loved One, BUT the bottom portion of the control can be slid down to show all the buttons a regular remote would have so that the well person can still control the TV.    I like that idea, but wonder if the bottom slides down too easily or not so that the LO with dementia is not suddenly confronted with many more buttons.

Anyway; may be a good idea to have one of these available, "just in case."

https://www.amazon.com/tv-remote-elderly/s?k=tv+remote+for+elderly

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Big-Button-Remote-Television/dp/B01LY0FCQO

https://www.amazon.com/Flipper-Big-Button-Remote-Seniors/dp/B002GR1YZ0

J.

Paris20

I’ve noted before that my husband, who could fix anything before AD, can no longer use his iPhone, his computer, or even a good old fashioned land line phone. During the past couple of months I noticed that he cannot use the TV remote. I have to subtly try to grab it before he does because he presses buttons that put our cable into technological apoplexy. 

Anything that has buttons and small print in different colors will remain a mystery to him forever. Our car dashboard is the worst. On one of the hottest days of the year I carelessly mentioned that I had to turn up the air conditioner but since I was driving I’d wait. My husband, in the passenger seat, said “I’ll do it.” After pressing numerous icons, he gave up, but not before he switched on the seat warmers to the highest heat level. I pulled over, shut the seat heaters, and said to DH, “I know you like women with hot a$$es but I didn’t know what methods you’d use to get one.” 

aod326

Paris, we had the same issue with the remote. DH would press various combinations of buttons and I'd have no idea what he'd done. Sometimes took me ages to figure out how to rectify the situation. (Wasn't able to stop the TV in my bedroom giving loud verbal prompts until several weeks after he died, months since he'd even been inside the bedroom!)

Duct tape was my solution. I duct taped over every part of the remotes except the power, channel and volume buttons. He didn't seem to notice, and it helped quite a lot.

By the way, I got a simple remote for DH, but, even though it was simple, it still required learning something new, so that didn't work for us.

M1

I like the duct tape idea aod.  We're big fans.  I'll keep working on it!!