What day is it? What day is it? A tip.

larrymanire

"What's today?"  This was the most common question my DW (with COPD and severe short term memory loss) repeated throughout the day until I bought two of these: Amazon.com: Robin, 2020 Version, Digital Day Clock 2.0 with Custom Alarms and Calendar Reminders, Alarm Clock with Extra Large Display Helps with Memory Loss, Alzheimer's and Dementia, White : Home & Kitchen

and put one in next to the bed (and set it to dark/night mode at night) and the other where she sits during the day.  I never have to answer that question anymore.  Plus I have it sound an alarm three times a day to remind her to use her meds, eye drops and inhaler.  Great display and really easy to set up.

M1

Glad it helps--for now.  There will come a point at which a clock and a calendar don't help.  You have to be able to read them and interpret them correctly.....and at some point that goes.  Went for my partner about two years ago.  This forum taught me the term visual agnosia--not being able to interpret what you see.  I think these abilities/losses vary among PWD.

Jo C.

Great link, Larry; thank you.

J.

harshedbuzz

Enjoy it while it helps. We did a lower tech white board for a while. I'm glad we hung it with Command and not nails.

Not for nothing does part of the screening for dementia weigh heavily on a clocking drawing exercise. 

Channeling my inner Eeyore this morning-
HB

Rescue mom

M1, my DH also lost that ability fairly early. He can read the words on a calendar or schedule or clock out loud, if asked, but the connection between doing that and doing/understanding what it says, was lost. 

It was hard for me to get my head around. How could that be? It was a while before I found out this is pretty common loss, meanwhile it was a struggle.  Maybe seeing this will also help somebody dealing with that aspect, while the gadget is great for those who can use it. 

He used to ask “where are we going” or “what am I doing” and yes, “what day is this”, and I would say “look at the calendar” as I rushed to get ready. No help. Also, “when are we eating” I’d  say 7, he’d  look at clock and…..nothing registered. (He can still draw that clock perfectly. Go figure)  Looking at the calendar, and getting any meaning from it, just was not happening.

LadyTexan

That looks like a nice clock. We have the lower tech American Lifetime Clock. Putting the buttons on the side is a great feature, plus the ability to personalize it for birthdays is nice too.

Our clock is helpful sometimes. I still get questions like when is Friday?

I use a white board in the kitchen to help me and the care giver. It has important contact numbers and it helps me manage the the kitchen food inventory, upcoming appointments, important tasks, etc.

Kevcoy

The time aspect is very frustrating.  It's Saturday? No, it's Thursday.  Then a little while later, Is there church today?  No that will be on Sunday, it's Thursday today.  Then it's totally frustrating when his mother asks him to call her at a certain time to wake her up.  The other day she wanted her wake up call at 7:00am.  We were up at 5:00 and he asked if it was time to call her.  I said no we have to wait 2 hours.  Just about every 10 to 15 minutes he asked if it was time to call her and I of course said not yet.  She and I have never gotten along but none the less that evening I asked her to not have him call her to wake her up due to his dementia issues.  She whirled around and yelled at me that he doesn't have dementia, he has alzheimer's because she should know because her mother had the disease.  She then barked at me if I wanted to see someone with dementia I should look in the mirror.  Between the two of them my life is so depressing but I just keep on keeping on.      Some how.