Products for people with dementia and carers

[carla16]

Hello everyone. I work for Alzheimer's Society's commercial arm looking for products for people with dementia and their carers. We have an online shop, www.alzheimers.org.uk/onlineshop , but as you can see there are a few products there at the moment. We also have a Christmas catalogue and sell some products through there. We feel that you would be able to help us as you are the ones who could identify which products would be most helpful. If you could give us your thoughts on the following questions, I would be really grateful:

Have you bought any product from our online shop or our christmas catalogue? If yes, could you give us feedback on the product?

Are there any products that you would wish to see and buy on our online shop/ catalogue?

Any thoughts and ideas would be most helpful, and if you would want to directly contact me, you could as well at this email: carla.madrilejo@alzheimers.org.uk or phone number:02074233682.

 

[DeborahBlythe]

The product I missed most for my mum was a clear clock that had time, date and day on it. Probably in digital not analogue format.

 

[zoet]

The most valuable product I ever bought my Dad was his "baby-gro", an all in one PJ suit with a zip up the back. It kept him warm and stopped him taking his pads off at night. It was easy to get on and off and Dad liked it. Great stuff!

 

[alex]

Hi Carla
I posted about this last week and Katherine has kindly directed me to this thread......i think its more a case of "How far do you want to go"?
Are we talking 10 or 20 popular items? Items used on a daily basis?

The things i listed in the previous thread are:
Sticky notes
Clothes I.D. tags
Person I.D. tags
Day/date clock
Plate with curved rim

I know that if i require something, i would tend to buy most things from under one roof so to speak, even tho i'm sure i could get most things if i shop around, i was surprised to find the AS shop didn't have any, but......i would rather buy from AS knowing that the profit is going to a good cause so i wish you the best of luck

Regards
Alex

 

[robertjohnmills]

Thingies

Hi Carla,

I have found that ensuring my partner's bus or Freedom pass does not get lost, caused me to design my own thingamy!

I ordered a security pass, of the type that is used for building entry. Pinned to the individual it extends on a reel when pulled out and automatically reels in again. It works beautifully but could not find any traditional type for bus passes and they only came in boxes of 20, which was a bit of a waste.

My Partner also finds sleep much easier with a Noise Maker by his bedside (you can buy for under pillow). These provide a wide range of environmental sounds and evidence shows that people find fractal sounds more relaxing. They are normally obtained from the RNID but you might want to consider them

Finally, you do not have any Alert equipment. Is it worth considering at least showing devices to Alert to wandering and attempted leaving and where they can be bought from even if not stocked yourself.

And this is the very finally I still keep looking for a way of attaching a mobile phone to my partner that he can't lose!! Anyone with an idea on this I will gladly hug and give a big kiss.

 

[alex]

Hi Robert

Some good ideas there my friend

I'd only been thinking of smallish everyday-use things, i guess it depends on whether AS are planning a "Serious" on-line shop or just easy to obtain items with a fast turnaround?

Lots of carers i know ask for things like:

• Mattress Protectors
• Key Covers (so keys are easily identifiable)
• Drinking cups with spout/straws etc.
• Feeding protector (Like a babies bib)

Other good ideas were things with sensors on, for instance i bought my mum a kitchen bin which opens by sensor (saves anyone with dementia having to work out which button to press) i also got her a soap dispenser operated by sensor (these of course would only be useful to anyone with early dementia) but i thought they were good idea's and they have been of great use.

I will get my thinking cap on for a Mobile Phone attachment, don't know of any but it would be a popular seller i'm sure

Regards
Alex

 

[elaine n]

For me it's an infra red alarm on the landing so that I know if Gary's up and about in the night

 

[alex]

And this is the very finally I still keep looking for a way of attaching a mobile phone to my partner that he can't lose!! Anyone with an idea on this I will gladly hug and give a big kiss.

Hi

Just seen something that might be of interest for a mobile phone, it can be attached to a waist belt ........A heavy duty retractable lanyard with mobile phone attachment might do the trick

Regards Alex

 

[Izzy]

For me it's an infra red alarm on the landing so that I know if Gary's up and about in the night

Me too. I find this especially useful to take on holiday.

 

[rosaliesal]

clocks ...beware

I bought my mum a very clear faced clock with big numbers which could be set as 2pm or 14.OO hrs etc. I thought I had done the right thing. Unfortunately, every time she picked the clock up she did so in a way that pressed other buttons and I was daily having to reset it. It became such a problem and a nuisance that I took the gift away and gifted it to myself. I felt guilty but in return I gave her my carriage clock. Nothing to wind, no knobs, bits or bobs to press by accident...peace at last.

 

[elaine n]

I'm thinking a really clear digital clock with no date or day on it would be useful too

 

[Onlyme]

A clock that can't be changed very easily as Mum changes the time to the time she thinks it should be. She gets upset when it is 2pm and she still hasn't had her lunch - its really about 12.30pm but she has been busy again.

 

[carla16]

thank you for your replies!

Hello everyone,

It is so refreshing to open my thread and see all the suggestions! Please keep it going. I have always said that we need to listen to carers and people with dementia for product ideas.

Sticky notes -- noted, we have an upcoming product to address this.

Calendar clocks -- the trouble really is to find an economical calendar clock. The best ones (the ones that are really clear and just about the right size) are really expensive.

So as a follow up question, how much do you think you are willing to spend for products for people with dementia such as a calendar clock?

Yes, I agree it does depend on the range that we want to come up with, at the moment we are looking at products to make life easier.

Some products I am currently considering: whiteboards, chalkboards, easy to wear clothes, sing along CDs, cards, talking photo album, radio, wander reminder, key finder, labels.
Let me know what you think! Also if you have a product somewhere in the internet or in a retail shop which you found really helpful, do let me know as well!

Thank you again for your replies, I really appreciate it!

 

[carla16]

Hi Carla
I posted about this last week and Katherine has kindly directed me to this thread......i think its more a case of "How far do you want to go"?
Are we talking 10 or 20 popular items? Items used on a daily basis?

The things i listed in the previous thread are:
Sticky notes
Clothes I.D. tags
Person I.D. tags
Day/date clock
Plate with curved rim

I know that if i require something, i would tend to buy most things from under one roof so to speak, even tho i'm sure i could get most things if i shop around, i was surprised to find the AS shop didn't have any, but......i would rather buy from AS knowing that the profit is going to a good cause so i wish you the best of luck

Regards
Alex

Hi Alex,

Thank you for your support. Can you let me know where you usually go to buy the products you mentioned? Yes, we are really keen on developing our range so people with dementia and carers could have choices on our website... We will get there. So in response to your query about whether it would be 10 or 20 popular items, this is actually going to be an ongoing thing where we continuously add to our online shop. So keep the suggestions coming! Thanks again, this was really helpful.

 

[Izzy]

Hi Alex,

Can you let me know where you usually go to buy the products you mentioned?

I will pm you the link to the infra red beam alarm I use. x

 

[Royf]

does anyone know of a kettle that cant be used unless ther is water in it...its getting expensive to keep replacing burnt out kettles.

 

[my wife]

Hi carla

One thing I purchased recently is a baby alarm which gives me peace of mind at night, I have also made a safety gate at the top of the stairs which prevents any accidents if the alarm doesn't wake me.

Best wishes
Dave

 

[carla16]

Hi Roy

Thank you for alerting us to this problem. If we do find a product that may help address this, I will let you know.


Carla

 

[carla16]

One thing I purchased recently is a baby alarm which gives me peace of mind at night, I have also made a safety gate at the top of the stairs which prevents any accidents if the alarm doesn't wake me.

Best wishes
Dave

Hi Dave,

Thank you for your helpful response. We are going to put up a Wander Reminder soon that could help in wandering especially at night.


Carla

 

[PamD]

A4 whiteboard; clock with day/date; locating device for losable property

I've bought an A4 wipe-clean whiteboard (cheap from stationers) which is brilliant for reminding Mother what day it is and what's happening.

We've tried two different clocks-with-date, and there's still a need: ideally an analogue clock with day, date, month? As we're living with Mother we cope with one which needs to be manually tweaked at the end of 30/28-day months, though I can see that would be a problem for people without a resident carer.

I'd like to find (perhaps could if I looked harder) some sort of a locating device to tag Mother's diary (small pocket size): I've spent hours of my life looking for it (in drawers, under pillow, in pockets, down side of armchair, under anything and everything, up sleeve of jumper...) as she's obsessed with it and gets terribly upset if she can't lay her hand on it. (Tying the pencil to the diary with a string was one inspiration - only one item to lose now, not two!) I think the sort of thing designed for key rings might work, but ideally something just the size of a sticker, with a non-losable gadget to locate it.

Hope this helps. Pam