Daily living: devices and Alzheimer’s

The UK’s Alzheimer’s Society has published a guide to assistive technology for those living with the disease. Medtech thrives on ideas and innovation, so we’ve picked out five types of device from the society’s guide

Automated prompts and reminders

One type of reminder, based on a motion sensor, plays a pre-recorded voice prompt when there is movement nearby. For example, a sensor placed near the front door could remind someone to lock the door, or one in the kitchen could remind someone to turn the oven off.

Another kind of reminder does not detect movement but is set to play a message at a certain time. For example, someone may record a message reminding them to take their medication or telling them that they have an appointment. They could also set their phone calendar to remind them.

Technology now also allows family members or other people not living with the person with dementia to access a tablet in the person's home and support them with reminders. This means the person with dementia has a display of appointments, visitors and activities, as well as the reassurance of knowing where people who can help are and how to contact them.

Clocks and calendars

There are lots of products available to help people with dementia keep track of the day and date. Automatic calendar clocks can be helpful for people who lose track of which day it is. Many show both the date and day of the week. Some clocks also show clearly whether it is morning or evening. These can help prevent people getting confused about the time, particularly in the light summer evenings. Clock and calendar apps can also be downloaded for tablets, which you can set up to suit your own tastes and needs.

Medication aids

There are lots of different medication aids available. It may help to talk to a pharmacist about the best option. Simple boxes for pills (known as dossette boxes) have separate compartments for days of the week and times of day (eg morning, afternoon, teatime, bedtime). They can help people remember to take their medication on the right day and at the right time, especially in the early stages of dementia. Simple versions are available from the local chemist.

Automatic dispensers for pills that are taken regularly are also available. These are pre-filled - ask your local pharmacist whether they offer this service - and then locked. When the medication needs to be taken, the dispenser sets off an alarm and the right compartment opens, allowing the person to access their medication. The alarm may continue until the pills are removed from the dispenser. There are also devices that can send an alert to a friend or relative to notify them if the medication hasn't been taken, or if the device isn't working, has low battery or needs refilling.

Locator devices and solutions

These can be used to help someone find things they regularly misplace, such as keys or a wallet. A small electronic tag is attached to each item.

In one system, the person has a dedicated locator device and, if they mislay the item, they can click a button on the locator device to make the tag beep. The locator device will need to be kept somewhere obvious. These systems can be confusing and difficult to use for some people with dementia. They may be more helpful for carers, or when carers are able to support the person to use them.

An alternative (and less intrusive) approach is to attach a small tile to each item and link these to a smartphone using a simple app. One system like this stores the last place your phone 'saw' the tile. This location can then be displayed on the phone's map function.

Communication aids

These can support people with dementia to stay in touch with others. The most common type of devices are adapted telephones. These can be pre-programmed with frequently used numbers. The person can then call a friend or relative by pressing a single large button or a button with their photo on it. Some telephones are even designed so only preset numbers can be dialled. Many smartphones also offer this option using their touch-screen function.

Another option is video chat, where people talk to and see each other via a computer, tablet or smartphone. These technologies - which include the well-known Skype service - are free to use once both parties are set up, although you will need to have internet access.

For a person who has problems with speech, communicating using cards that combine pictures and text may help. Someone caring for the person might use these cue cards to offer different options for an activity, for example. The person would then point or nod to choose the one they want.

Talking mats is a popular app which takes this idea onto a tablet or computer. People can communicate how they feel, or who they want to spend time with - for example, by selecting the picture or symbol from the options offered. Talking mats is increasingly used to engage people with dementia living in care homes.