Losing track of time is a common symptom of dementia. Not only can this be confusing and distressing for people with dementia, but it can also lead to problems such as forgotten meals, missed appointments or medication mismanagement.
Dementia-friendly clocks are a useful tool that can help people with dementia or memory loss keep track of time. These clocks and watches are user-friendly by design and include features like large, LED displays, easily visible fonts and voice-activated alarms. These features help people with dementia keep track of the time and date.
Here is everything you need to know about the best dementia clocks and their benefits.
In What Ways Can Dementia Affect Time Perception?
Many people with dementia find it difficult to make sense of time or remember the date. Losing track of time inevitably leads to confusion and can be especially difficult for someone that was previously used to living independently.
When the brain becomes affected by dementia, a person can lose the reasoning and analytical abilities needed to tell time or remember dates. This means that when a person with dementia looks at a regular clock, they may be unable to read or understand it.
This is why the ‘clock test’ is a common method for diagnosing or assessing dementia. This test involves a GP or other medical professional drawing a blank clock face and then asking the person being tested to add the numbers and the hands. People with dementia often find it difficult to write the numbers or may be unable to place the hands of the clock in the correct position.
Not being able to keep track of time often leads to people with dementia losing track of the time, month or even season. Since so many aspects of our lives are focused on telling time, as people with dementia lose this knowledge it can lead to confusion, anger or anxiety.
Dementia Clocks and Watches
Losing track of time can be distressing for both the person with dementia and their family members but there are some products available that can make life a little easier. If your loved one is finding it difficult to tell the time or remember the date, a dementia clock or watch is a useful tool that can help them stay on top of the time.
A dementia clock is a specialist clock designed to help people with dementia or memory loss tell time. They are different from traditional clocks in that they feature the time and date in large, prominent numbers or pictures to make telling time easier.
On top of using large fonts or pictures to help people with dementia tell time, dementia clocks can also help in other ways. Some models state out loud the time, year, date or whether it is morning or night. Others feature alarms and vocal reminders to help the person remember important appointments or other priorities
The Types of Dementia Clocks Available
There are many different types of dementia clocks available ranging from analogue wall clocks to talking watches. Before committing to a specific model, it may be beneficial to speak to your loved one’s GP or medical team to learn which dementia clock would best support their care needs
Day Clocks
Dementia day clocks help people to differentiate between morning, noon and night. These models don’t usually tell the time but rather display whether it is morning or night in a large and easy-to-read font. Some may even use pictures such as yellow stars against a dark background to show that it is nighttime. Dementia day clocks are especially helpful for anyone that finds it difficult to tell the difference between the day and night.
Analog Wall Clocks
These wall-mounted clocks feature larger-than-average buttons, hands and fonts to help people with dementia tell the time. While these clocks can provide a sense of normalcy, it’s important to remember that as dementia progresses it may become difficult for the person to read an analogue clock in general. Because of this, analogue wall clocks may not be appropriate for someone in the middle to late stages of dementia
Talking Clocks
A talking clock will use verbal communication to let the user know what time of day it is. These clocks often feature one large button which the person can press to know the time. Many models can also be set to automatically announce the time at certain hours of the day. Thanks to their voice-activated features, talking clocks can also be useful for anyone with a visual impairment.
Digital clocks
Many standard alarm clocks are not dementia-friendly because they feature small buttons and hard-to-see numbers. Dementia-friendly digital clocks use large, LED displays to show the time, day, and date. Despite looking like traditional alarm clocks, dementia digital clocks also include special adaptations, such as large and clearly-labelled buttons, to support people with dementia.
Talking watches
Talking watches are similar to traditional watches that are worn around the wrist but they come with special features to help people with dementia. Dementia watches have LED displays that display the time in large numbers. At the touch of a button, talking watches can also speak the date or time out loud. They may also include other features such as GPS tracking which can help people with dementia that are prone to wandering to stay safe.
Expert Dementia Care, For All Of Life
If you find that your loved one is having difficulty keeping track of time or staying on top of important dates and appointments, our dementia care at home can help.
At Prestige Nursing & Care, we have over 75 years of caring for people with dementia and their families. We recognise that dementia can have a major impact on a person’s life as they go from living independently to needing extra support as the disease progresses.
Our experienced and compassionate carers provide bespoke and highly-personalised dementia care designed to help people continue living safely and independently at home. We have been trusted by families up and down the country to provide care for all of life, evolving the level and type of care we provide to meet changing needs.
Our dedicated dementia care team is here to support not just the person living with dementia, but all the family. We take time to really get to know your family and the challenges you are facing so that we can provide bespoke care designed to enhance your quality of life. We are here to provide life-changing support to your family every step of the way.
We believe that with the right support in place tailored to their individual needs, people living with dementia can live fulfilling and independent lives in their own homes.
Find out more about why our clients choose our high-quality dementia care at home.
