Have any questions about how to use the community? Check out the Help Discussion.

TV Response

blacksparky
blacksparky Member Posts: 236
250 Likes 250 Care Reactions 100 Insightfuls Reactions 100 Comments
Member
edited December 2025 in Caring For a Spouse or Partner

My DW with EO late stage 5 sits and watches a lot of TV lately. Her favorite is Hallmark movies but she does like to watch NCIS or Law and Order. The problem is she thinks the TV is real life. Watching Hallmark she is very calm but with the others , she jumps up and gets a foot away from the screen upset with what’s happening. I just came across an App on my phone for a dementia friendly streaming service by the name Zinnia. It’s $9.99 a month and can be casted on our TV. There’s a 14 day trial time and I started the trial yesterday. So far she seems to enjoy the shows that they. No violence, blood or shooting at all. It also gives me a break to do things while she watches. Just wanted to let you all know that might be in the same place as we are.

Comments

  • M5M
    M5M Member Posts: 266
    100 Insightfuls Reactions 100 Likes Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    Member

    I found Zinnia few months ago, and did the free trial. Unfortunately, the old TV DH watches did not support the app, you have to have a smart TV. I think it is an excellent program, and wish I could convince DH we should replace that TV. Someday we will get there…..

  • Carl46
    Carl46 Member Posts: 1,518
    500 Care Reactions 1000 Comments 500 Likes 250 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member

    DW couldn't stand NCIS, Law & Order, or the news after a certain point. I didn't know about a program to limit the violence but was able to control what we watched.

    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/260989#Comment_260989

    M5M, I wonder if the old TV can be made to not work, so you would need a new one.

  • Timmyd
    Timmyd Member Posts: 338
    250 Insightfuls Reactions 250 Care Reactions 250 Likes 100 Comments
    Member

    My DW response to TV changed as she progressed through the stages. In stage 4 and early stage 5 she still enjoyed a good horror movie. Now everything has to be pleasant, happy… funny…. She watches a lot of sitcom reruns: Reba, Friends, Golden Girls. She especially seems to enjoy physical comedy. Family Feud is also a big hit in our house.

    I have heard of Zinnia but have not gotten around to trying it with her.

  • Call me Gram
    Call me Gram Member Posts: 143
    100 Comments 100 Care Reactions 100 Likes 25 Insightfuls Reactions
    Member
    https://alzconnected.org/discussion/74854/tv-response

    Thank you for this! I had not heard of Zinnia and will be looking into it.

  • harshedbuzz
    harshedbuzz Member Posts: 6,416
    Ninth Anniversary 1,500 Insightfuls Reactions 1,500 Likes 5000 Comments
    Member

    @blacksparky

    I've heard great things about Zinnia. I wish it had been available when dad went through this. Like your DW, he conflated TV with his own lived experience. I always found it ironic that he couldn't tell me whether he'd eaten, but he could lay out the plot of Law & Order SVU telling me how he was kidnapped, raped and murdered the night before.

    I put parental controls on the TV to block those stations along with TWC and news.

    HB

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
Read more

Community Guidelines


Click here to review the ALZConnected Community Guidelines

Categories