Do you or a loved one suffer from dementia? Here are six life hacks that make life with dementia far easier. You’d wish you’d known these sooner.
Imagine what it would be like to wake up every morning and not remember who you are or where you are at! What if you could not remember what life-saving medications you take everyday or at what times you have to take them? Or maybe forgot where you left the house keys or your wallet? Or missed an important appointment because you forgot what day it was….
That would be confusing to say the least! Alarming for some folks (may I add anxiety here), frustrating for some. For a fully functioning adult to develop these holes in their memory is an easy recipe for a sense of loss of control. Life can get so easily disrupted. If this continues, it may seem like everything is gradually slipping out of your grasp one by one. So easy to feel hopeless and even become depressed. God forbid! Welcome to a day in a life with dementia.
If you have a loved one with dementia, here are some valuable life-hacks that may make their life (and yours) a little easier:
1. - plug in clock with easy to read face in large fonts with automatic updates
- display options for calendar day with time or simple day of the week and time of the day
- ready to use straight out of the box
- grab one for every room if you need to
2. Smart Pillbox: The pillbox with automatic timer
Smart pillboxes come in various sizes and capacities from single day pill organizers to 28 day consoles. They also feature locked vs unlocked pill holder units. Prices vary by the features. Here is an efficient yet economic find (pictured above):
- 28 compartments to hold 4 doses a day for 7 days
- convenient markings: morning, afternoon, evening and night
- automatic timer for up to 4 reminders a day with back-light for night visibility
- sleek design: great for travel
- only $14.99 on amazon
3. Picture cell phone: meet the RAZ Memory Cell Phone
- One touch dial phone with a screen that includes just three elements:
- Pictures and names of up to six contacts
- A button to call 911
- Time and battery power
- Large display, free location tracking and unwanted-call-block features
- 3 months of free service from Mint Mobile and $15-25 per month afterwards or option to choose between AT&T, T-Mobile, Consumer Cellular or another compatible provider
4. Tile tracker: Never lose another key-chain, wallet or keys with this bluetooth tracker (the picture shows the key-chain and the wallet trackers)
- small slim tracker that attaches to item you want to keep track of
- pairs with an app on iphone or android
- when pinged, locates the item by ringing, by showing its last known location on a map, or you can mark it as lost and get an alert when it’s found.
5. Robotic cat for seniors: meet the JOY FOR ALL Ageless Innovation Companion Pets
- realistic and life-like
- responds to hugging and petting minus the litter-box and vet bills
- provides companionship
- helps soothe agitation, stimulate activity and decrease loneliness.
6. Universal TV Remote: There are many out there, but on this blog, let us meet the Flipper Big Button TV Remote for Elderly
- one remote for TV, cable boxes and accessories: works with all IR (infrared) TVs and Cable / Satellite boxes, and Soundbars, like Xfinity, Comcast, Dish, Direct TV, Spectrum, Bose, and More
- simple to use with just three key functions: on/off, volume (with mute), and channel
- offers 100% money back guarantee.
The above listed items represent more of similar items in each category. The ones on this blog were handpicked for their ease of use and functionality.
As the mental health month of May comes to a close, dedicating this blog to all those affected by dementia in any way. Love and light to all!
