we are caring for my sons Nan, she was diagnosed 6 months ago with Alzheimer’s I did not realise until we stayed with her that she can not follow a television programme at all, it’s really hard to sit down in the evening to relax and watch TV because she constantly talks through the programme with the totally wrong end of the stick, I try to read a book on my iPad but she talks at me constantly I have even tried putting head phones on when watching programme on lap top, but again she constantly talks at me and I end up giving up, this means that you get no down time, any suggestions would be gratefully received, I am surprised at this stage that she can not follow tv programmes, she had no hobbies so I’m stuck as to how to keep her amused with something
Can not follow TV program j
- Thread starter Kennyboy
- Start date
It may sound over simplistic but having a person with dementia at home means the home needs to be dementia person centred.
The person with dementia at the stage you seem to be describing @Kennyboy has little or no control over their behaviours.
If your son`s Nan talks through a television programme, it shows she cannot follow the programme or has no interest in it or does not understand you want a bit of peace.
It might help to have a television in another room so you can watch in peace.
The person with dementia at the stage you seem to be describing @Kennyboy has little or no control over their behaviours.
If your son`s Nan talks through a television programme, it shows she cannot follow the programme or has no interest in it or does not understand you want a bit of peace.
It might help to have a television in another room so you can watch in peace.
Possibly watching and listening are to much. It depends where she is at but might she process radio better, or audio books? My PWD tolerates bluetooth headphones, this concentrates the sound and cuts out any other distraction. They are not wired so he can get up an wander around without worry over wires. Will she tolerate being in her own room for this i wonder? That is how (at the moment!) I get some me time. I know this probably wont last, but works at the moment.
When my husband went through this, like others I adapted our tv viewing. Nature and reminiscence programmes went down well as did light-hearted comedy and musical entertainment programmes.
As for my own viewing, I pre-recorded the films and dramas I was interested in, then I watched them when he was asleep. For the most part I was fortunate in that my husband liked to be in bed by 10pm, which gave me a couple of hours to unwind.
Once my husband's sleep pattern became irregular, I would catch up on my viewing while he napped in the middle of the day in the armchair (that's if I wasn't trying to catch up on sleep myself!)
As for my own viewing, I pre-recorded the films and dramas I was interested in, then I watched them when he was asleep. For the most part I was fortunate in that my husband liked to be in bed by 10pm, which gave me a couple of hours to unwind.
Once my husband's sleep pattern became irregular, I would catch up on my viewing while he napped in the middle of the day in the armchair (that's if I wasn't trying to catch up on sleep myself!)
Thanks for your reply lynneMcV, the problem is when she goes to bed at 10 we can not stay up much longer because we know she will be up at 4 wanting breakfast, she wakes us up at 4.30 this morning she only has cereal so she could do that herself but she wants us up, I told my hubby to stay in bed no point in both of us being up at that time.
Hi grannie G we could not watch tv in another room as she would just come into that room with us, but thank you for you for your suggestions
It seems to be the same with reading too. My mother used to love her Daily Mail, and actually used to get very annoyed if she didn’t get her newspaper without fail.
For months now, she seemed to still be able to read out loud but could not comprehend the words. There’s always daily newspapers in the CH and to make conversation today I made small talk about the forthcoming election. She replied that she hadn’t seen anything in the papers about an election!
Mind you, last Christmas she told me that ‘someone’ must have changed the date of it as it had come out of the blue!
For months now, she seemed to still be able to read out loud but could not comprehend the words. There’s always daily newspapers in the CH and to make conversation today I made small talk about the forthcoming election. She replied that she hadn’t seen anything in the papers about an election!
Mind you, last Christmas she told me that ‘someone’ must have changed the date of it as it had come out of the blue!
Funny you should say this! My father has NEVER liked nature or animal programmes, until about a year ago, when suddenly he REALLY enjoyed them. I understand why now!
OH likes travelogues and programs about places - especially of places we have been to.
Again, no story to follow
Again, no story to follow
