Day clock

Catherine.

Registered User
Mar 26, 2015
32
0
I have just ordered a day clock as my dad is getting increasingly worse at night, waking my mum on a regular basis, most of the time because he thinks it's daytime rather than nighttime.
I am hoping this clock may do the trick and help him not wake my mum, it's coming on Friday! Anyone else had any luck with one? The reviews look promising...don't want to get my hopes up .....
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
We have had one for a year and to be honest it makes little difference. I have to prompt my husband to look at it, it is as bright as a night light in the room, he sometimes unplugs it. The only solution to the day/night disruption is a sleeping pill. John was prescribed Zopiclone last October and is still taking it. He also takes Trazodone 50 mg with the Zopiclone about 10 pm. He usually sleeps until 6 or 7 am.

Without that he would undoubtedly be in a care home right now as the lack of sleep is impossible to sustain.
 

Catherine.

Registered User
Mar 26, 2015
32
0
We have had one for a year and to be honest it makes little difference. I have to prompt my husband to look at it, it is as bright as a night light in the room, he sometimes unplugs it. The only solution to the day/night disruption is a sleeping pill. John was prescribed Zopiclone last October and is still taking it. He also takes Trazodone 50 mg with the Zopiclone about 10 pm. He usually sleeps until 6 or 7 am.

Without that he would undoubtedly be in a care home right now as the lack of sleep is impossible to sustain.

Oh dear, our gp will just not prescribe dad a sleeping tablet as dad has has a couple of falls. Fingers crossed the day clock may help him.....or it will get sent back. Dads going into respite in a couple of weeks so that will help my mum
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
0
South coast
In the early stages it can work, but as dementia progresses it doesnt work anymore.
Give it a go and see - it wont do any harm.
 

Lindy50

Registered User
Dec 11, 2013
5,242
0
Cotswolds
In the early stages it can work, but as dementia progresses it doesnt work anymore.
Give it a go and see - it wont do any harm.


I agree, it worked for mum for maybe six months. For the last year she has forgotten to look at it......but it was useful for that short time :)

Good luck x
 

Kevinl

Registered User
Aug 24, 2013
6,064
0
Salford
Blackout curtains and sleep in the bedroom with the least sunlight, for us that's summer in the back bedroom and winter in the front one. I just use the "I'm decorating the room" excuse and she falls for it every time (how bad am I).
As long as it's safe to do so, get it as dark as you can for as long as you can.
My wife has no idea of time it means nothing to her, day, night, day of the week, time of the year it's all a mystery to her these days. Some people with AZ live in the now, if they've woken up it's time to get up 2 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon! means nothing to them, Give the clock a go, but if they've lost the concept of time I can't see it will help.
I'm fortunate we live without the concept of time here, if we get up and have breakfast at 6 in the morning or 2 o'clock in the afternoon it's all the same to me, I work on Wifetime, it's whatever time she wants it to be, like age time is just a number.
I admit that's not for everyone but it works for us, it's easier for me to conform to her reality than her conform to mine/the rest of the world.
K
 

Catherine.

Registered User
Mar 26, 2015
32
0
Blackout curtains and sleep in the bedroom with the least sunlight, for us that's summer in the back bedroom and winter in the front one. I just use the "I'm decorating the room" excuse and she falls for it every time (how bad am I).
As long as it's safe to do so, get it as dark as you can for as long as you can.
My wife has no idea of time it means nothing to her, day, night, day of the week, time of the year it's all a mystery to her these days. Some people with AZ live in the now, if they've woken up it's time to get up 2 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon! means nothing to them, Give the clock a go, but if they've lost the concept of time I can't see it will help.
I'm fortunate we live without the concept of time here, if we get up and have breakfast at 6 in the morning or 2 o'clock in the afternoon it's all the same to me, I work on Wifetime, it's whatever time she wants it to be, like age time is just a number.
I admit that's not for everyone but it works for us, it's easier for me to conform to her reality than her conform to mine/the rest of the world.
K

Bless you.
Last night apparently dad was up and down all night, washed at 0030, and eventually downstairs at 0530.
My poor mum. I am going to ask the memory team if his patches can be increased too.
The trouble is too that he can't remember doing any of this, or if he does, it's not his fault , it's the clocks
Thanks for the advice , and keep up the good work xxx
 

sinkhole

Registered User
Jan 28, 2015
273
0
Bless you.
...or if he does, it's not his fault , it's the clocks

Very familiar!
My aunt has been back and forth to Argos about 10 times in the last month buying clocks then taking them back because "they don't work".

I bought her a day clock and it may have helped a little initially, but she tends to ignore it now. If it's Wednesday morning to her there is no point in trying to convince her it is actually Friday evening, because she just won't accept it.

Whatever clock she does use, I have seal it all in at the back with glue/tape/screws etc., otherwise she inevitably takes the battery out or just messes around with the settings.
 

Catherine.

Registered User
Mar 26, 2015
32
0
Very familiar!
My aunt has been back and forth to Argos about 10 times in the last month buying clocks then taking them back because "they don't work".

I bought her a day clock and it may have helped a little initially, but she tends to ignore it now. If it's Wednesday morning to her there is no point in trying to convince her it is actually Friday evening, because she just won't accept it.

Whatever clock she does use, I have seal it all in at the back with glue/tape/screws etc., otherwise she inevitably takes the battery out or just messes around with the settings.

Nightmare! Dads patches are being increased on Monday and the clock will be here on Friday . Fingers crossed x
 

Catherine.

Registered User
Mar 26, 2015
32
0
Well, time has passed since the arrival of the day clock.....it doesn't really help too much, as dad thinks it's useless! But it is good to refer to in the middle if the night when he thinks it's time to get up :(
He has also had a weeks respite care and mum spent a week away...since his return things have got worse, possibly because he is still settling back down at home and/or because he just is getting worse.
I read that if, for example , the sufferer thinks it is 1970 for example, then just go along with it....however , if dad thinks that 3 am is a good time to get up, because he has to get ready to go out, then mum cannot possibly agree with this ...
Dad will argue black is white over what day it is for example, should we just go along with that?? It's all a bit of a nightmare, if you didn't laugh about some of the things he sayes, you would surely weep . Signing off till the next instalment :):)
 

Kevinl

Registered User
Aug 24, 2013
6,064
0
Salford
Wifetime. I like it!

Wifetime today was up at 6am for a coffee and a croissant thenshe had a sleep on the sofa 'til about 10am (while I did the washing) then down to the boat, I'm rewiring some new lights in, a bit of lunch then another kip 'til about 3pm (both of us).
Twenty minute walk round the marina, feed the ducks, talk to the neighbours then a bit of telly and drove home about 9pm stopping in Lidl on the way home.
Main meal of the day was at 10.30 pm and I guess bedtime will be sometime soon, before 2am hopefully as the nights are drawing in.
On the Brightside I did feel fully justified lighting the wood burning stove today it just adds to the glow, funny how a real fire makes life a better place.
Hopefully we'll do the same thing tomorrow if I can fine the soldering iron to cross connect 2 light unit at 6volts in series to make them a 12 volt unit.
K
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
I have a soldering iron, never used and still in its box, a weird Christmas present from a dear but odd friend years ago. If I keep it in its packaging maybe it will become an antique in the future! Know what you mean about the fire. On chilly nights been lighting mine.
 

sleepless

Registered User
Feb 19, 2010
3,223
0
The Sweet North
I have a soldering iron, never used and still in its box, a weird Christmas present from a dear but odd friend years ago. If I keep it in its packaging maybe it will become an antique in the future! Know what you mean about the fire. On chilly nights been lighting mine.

Maybe someone else got the bath salts, Tin!
 

mariamintonwa

Registered User
Nov 9, 2015
2
0
I have just ordered a day clock as my dad is getting increasingly worse at night, waking my mum on a regular basis, most of the time because he thinks it's daytime rather than nighttime.
I am hoping this clock may do the trick and help him not wake my mum, it's coming on Friday! Anyone else had any luck with one? The reviews look promising...don't want to get my hopes up .....

My brother has the same problem with day and night, I have seen a day clock couldn't help him, but it may work for your dad
 

Lozzer

Registered User
Jan 18, 2016
7
0
I have just ordered a day clock as my dad is getting increasingly worse at night, waking my mum on a regular basis, most of the time because he thinks it's daytime rather than nighttime.
I am hoping this clock may do the trick and help him not wake my mum, it's coming on Friday! Anyone else had any luck with one? The reviews look promising...don't want to get my hopes up .....

I read something earlier in one of the forum entries about paracetamol helping with sleeping and calming people with dementia. You may wish to search Talking Point to see if it may help with your dad. It may help him sleep through the night.