ISO Daily Reminder gadget?

StephanieVC

Hello,

I’m looking for a product available in the USA that allows me to send visual reminders to my mom (who has Early Alzheimer’s and lives alone). Not only a clock, but also reminders about medications, doctors appointments, social events etc. Something she can prop up in her kitchen where she will see the daily messages, which I can post remotely.   

Has anyone found something like this? There is one called My Home Helper but it’s made/distributed in the UK. 

Note: My mom is in early stage of dementia, lives independently and I can see her a few times a week  I’m looking for new ways for her to remember things like appointments  

Thanks! 

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StephanieVC

Thanks for the input. My mom lives near me and was just diagnosed yesterday. She’s independent, able to drive etc at this point. However, she is forgetting things like appointments. I’m thinking a daily, visual reminder would help her at this stage.

RobinNicole

Hi StephanieVC,

Welcome!  

I would have loved something like that!  My mom used the day / time / date am / pm clock for quite a while and we went over her calendar which was standard one that she liked to check off the days and see her appointments.  She was very meticulous about her paper calendar and she added her appointments   I recently heard about recallcue which is a calendar app that you you can also send messages, reminders, pictures etc.  

As noted these tech solutions are only temporary solutions. But they can be helpful until her needs progress.   I used several for over a year, including medminder for medicine management, telecalm for phone filtering to avoid scams and dealing with repetitive dialing etc.  the cameras for peace of mind.  I posted signs up (all colors) in her house for reminders / info.  

This community will be invaluable to you as you navigate supporting your LO.  I would encourage you to plan ahead (DPOA, finances, home safety etc.) to ensure you / or others can watch out for your mom.

Please let us know if you find any tech solution that fits your needs.  It’s always good to hear about the latest.

dayn2nite2

StephanieVC wrote:

Thanks for the input. My mom lives near me and was just diagnosed yesterday. She’s independent, able to drive etc at this point. However, she is forgetting things like appointments. I’m thinking a daily, visual reminder would help her at this stage.

I know with your rational mind you are thinking this would be great idea for her, but frankly you would find it more of a pain in the you-know-where than anything.

Your LO may be different, but I found knowing about appointments in advance only provided my mother more opportunity to ruminate and worry about them.  In order to alleviate distress, I started not telling her about appointments, but I would start getting her ready and when she was ready I would say "okay let's go" and complete the appointment.

Take a look at her car.  Any dings, scrapes, dents?  Often when we think our LOs can still drive they are having little spatial awareness issues that cause these.  Check the tires.  Any scrapes that show she's cutting corners too close?  How are the hubcaps?  Dented?  Dinged?  Scraped?

All this to stay that in the beginning, we hang on to how "independent" our LO is and how they can still do this and still do that.  But honestly, if there weren't already issues with her she wouldn't have a diagnosis of "early Alzheimer's," would she?  Be careful of lulling yourself into endless chasing of gadgets and technology that help you avoid the thought that she actually needs hands-on care or more time than you have to give to one-on-one.

Rescue mom

Are you, or can you, check and watch her finances? If she is already forgetting appointments, and has an Alzheimer’s Dx, she is having problems. Money matters often get neglected or abused early. Bills unpaid, and giving money away or being scammed are two common problems

Also, her auto insurance may be invalid with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Dx. Many insurances are. There are also attorneys who look for accidents involving elder drivers, they will sue—regardless of any tickets or “legal” fault, and driving with that Dx leaves her open to lose everything she has in a lawsuit. 

I know you believe she can, but the fact remains, she has the Dx and already shows symptoms, and there are huge ramifications.

mommyandme (m&m)

When my mom was in mid-moderate stages I put up a large dry erase calendar on the wall, prior she was using little paper calendars.  It was prominently placed in the living room so she could see it and she understood it.  This had nothing to do with meds except in the moderate stage it was used to mark she had taken am/pm pills so she wouldn’t have grounds to argue that she’d taken them already.  

Obviously someone had to manage the calendar.  Her caregivers marked when my bro or myself would be coming to visit among many other things as she was much more active then.  When I moved her here with me, I put up a new one but she’s too advanced in this stupid disease and has no idea about days or events etc..  and doesn’t notice it.  It’s good for me though  I also have notes on it for caregivers that give me respite.  

That’s my success story with dealing techno free. What about a google calendar that can be shared and put on a tablet? Like devices will share things and alerts etc… My mom lost the ability to use technology pretty quickly so I couldn’t have used that. In any event I hope you find a solution or two that works.  

I’m sorry you find yourself here but glad you came.  There are so many wise caring people to offer advice and support.  You’re in the right place.