Research Project

[james1984]

Hi Everyone,

Hope you don't mind reaching out but I am part of a young entrepreneurs research group and are looking into tech projects to help carers and patients of Alzheimers.

A number of us have been directly or indirectly effected by the condition and its is something that we are very interested in helping with!

I am very interested to hear what your current pains are in caring for someone and how you cope with these? How could your care be made easier etc?

Hope to hear back from you, any feedback would be very welcome and much appreciated!

Many Thanks

James

 

[balloo]

I have been caring for my MIL for nearly 3 years she has vascular dementia and has got worse . she now no longer flushes loo my big bug bare .I have signs up to remind her and also to wash hands but unless I go with her every time she does not do this. no sure what can be done here may be an alarm that goes off when she been then I can go check on her . Also something that tells her its night time and time to stay in bed,

 

[james1984]

I have been caring for my MIL for nearly 3 years she has vascular dementia and has got worse . she now no longer flushes loo my big bug bare .I have signs up to remind her and also to wash hands but unless I go with her every time she does not do this. no sure what can be done here may be an alarm that goes off when she been then I can go check on her . Also something that tells her its night time and time to stay in bed,

Thanks for the feedback, I think a reminder system is great, how is she with technology?

 

[Quilty]

We have a special dementia clock that says day, date and time. I would also like it to say daytime, night time, bed time but it does not.

Most people with moderate to late stage wont actively press buttons etc so it needs to be passive. A wrist band that tells carer remotely if the person is moving about and vibrates when the phone rings would be good. Ideally waterproof and with a GPS tracker too for wanderers. If the wrist band could buzz to look at a screen for reminders on pills etc. The screen could show other reminders eg hairdressers tomorrow.

I think technology could be a huge help but design would need to be easy and robust with little user interaction.

Im very glad you are thinking about this.

 

[Cat27]

I care for my Dad who has vascular dementia.
He really struggles with remote controls, telephones & the TV & sky box.
He gets extremely aggressive when he can't get this to do what he wats them to.

 

[balloo]

Thanks for the feedback, I think a reminder system is great, how is she with technology?

up until 6 months ago she could use a computer program to do puzzels if it was set up for her .now no hope was great while it lasted kept her busy for hrs.

She cannot work tv remote or bath lift remote or buzzer we set up if she wanted us. This she could not do when she moved in with us 2.5 yrs ago.

 

[james1984]

We have a special dementia clock that says day, date and time. I would also like it to say daytime, night time, bed time but it does not.

Most people with moderate to late stage wont actively press buttons etc so it needs to be passive. A wrist band that tells carer remotely if the person is moving about and vibrates when the phone rings would be good. Ideally waterproof and with a GPS tracker too for wanderers. If the wrist band could buzz to look at a screen for reminders on pills etc. The screen could show other reminders eg hairdressers tomorrow.

I think technology could be a huge help but design would need to be easy and robust with little user interaction.

Im very glad you are thinking about this.

Thanks for the feedback, some very interesting ideas in there!

Hopefully we can help somehow

 

[james1984]

I care for my Dad who has vascular dementia.
He really struggles with remote controls, telephones & the TV & sky box.
He gets extremely aggressive when he can't get this to do what he wats them to.

Thank you for the feedback, are they generally new products or devices or are these things he has been used to?

 

[Cat27]

Thank you for the feedback, are they generally new products or devices or are these things he has been used to?

The phones & TV stuff are old.
We got a new deep fat fryer a few weeks ago & he's just can't work out how to use it. He's overloaded it & the fat went all over the side.

We got him a new oven before Christmas & he doesn't understand that it's different from the old one so he's basically given up on it.

 

[james1984]

The phones & TV stuff are old.
We got a new deep fat fryer a few weeks ago & he's just can't work out how to use it. He's overloaded it & the fat went all over the side.

We got him a new oven before Christmas & he doesn't understand that it's different from the old one so he's basically given up on it.

Ah I see, thank you for the feedback

 

[james1984]

Unfortunately, this is the case with most dementia sufferers. They forget how to operate even the most simple of appliances/devices, even the telephone, and this is stuff they've been using for years. And new appliances? forget it!

I applaud your good intentions, and also the reasons behind them, but 'technological gadgets' are just a big no-no! Sorry.

Thanks for the feedback, completely appreciate that, hoping we can still do something to help

 

[Lawson58]

Could I suggest that you just spend a couple if hours going through some of the threads on Talking Point and you will soon discover how many problems there are.

 

[nitram]

"Could I suggest that you just spend a couple if hours going through some of the threads on Talking Point and you will soon discover how many problems there are."

>>>THIS FORUM<<< would be a good starting point.

 

[james1984]

Could I suggest that you just spend a couple if hours going through some of the threads on Talking Point and you will soon discover how many problems there are.

Great thanks - have been looking at a number of threads

 

[james1984]

Great thanks for the help nitram

 

[Cat27]

This thread highlights a common problem

http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?84209-pill-dispensers