Dementia friendly clock: Is there a dementia friendly clock?

Staying oriented to time and daily tasks is an important part of living independently at home. Fortunately, there are many products on the market that may be able to assist you that include apps and stand-alone devices. Here are some that you may want to explore:

App

• Digital Photo Clock from Clock-Aid is a free app for tablets, which supports people who have problems with memory or time awareness. The clock shows time, day of the week, and a morning, afternoon or night indication. Messages and photos can also be placed on "the clock". The application is available in for both Apple and Android devices.

Stand alone devices

• 2-in-1 Calendar and Day Clock Plus with Reminder Assistance (at Alzheimer’s Store Canada) is an example of a clock which displays the time, date, and a day or night indication. The display does not include any confusing abbreviations and the text is large with high contrast. There is an option for auto-dimming between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., which can be enabled during set-up. Alarms can be set-up on this device using five pre-programmed options. This device costs about $160 (CDN), plus additional shipping fees.
• Reminder Rosie by BIOS Living (at CNIB Smart Life) is an example of a clock with a senior-friendly interface that plays custom voice reminders. The device allows users to record up to 25 personalized voice reminders for six seconds in any language. Reminders can be set to play at a specific time of day, week, or year. Thus, not only does it orient the senior to the time of day, but it also provides reminders for any date. Reminder Rosie’s simple design means that it is hands-free; start talking and Reminder Rosie will activate. This device ranges in price from about $100 to $250 (CDN) and can be purchased at a number of other online retailers, including newer versions which have more updated display capabilities at amazon.ca and londondrugs.com.