What technical aids are there for dementia?
Living with dementia can pose great challenges, both for the sufferer and for relatives. Today, however, there are a number of technical aids that can facilitate everyday life, create security and promote independence. Here we go through some of the most useful aids and how they can make a difference.
1. Alarms and security solutions
For people with dementia, it is common to feel insecure, especially if you live alone. Peronal alarms are therefore an important part of technical aids. A personal alarm can be a simple watch or wristband with a button that sends an alarm to relatives or healthcare staff when the person needs help. Some modern personal alarms also have a GPS function, which makes it possible to quickly find a person if they get lost.
2. Reminders and calendar functions
Dementia can affect both short-term and long-term memory, making it easy to forget important times and tasks. Digital calendars with reminders, for example in a mobile phone or tablet, can help keep track of the day’s schedule, medication times and appointments. Some apps also offer custom reminders that can be displayed with both audio and visuals for added clarity. There are also special watches designed for people with dementia, where you can set reminders for medication and other important activities. These watches can vibrate or beep to remind you of a task, reducing the risk of forgetting something important.
3. Cognitive aids for everyday routines
For those who find it difficult to keep track of everyday routines, there can be help in the form of cognitive aids, such as smart home products and digital assistants. For example, smart speakers can help provide voice-controlled instructions, such as saying when it’s time to take medicine, reminding when it’s time to eat or even playing soothing music if the person becomes anxious.
Getting help navigating the home can be a big relief. By installing motion sensors that activate lighting, you can avoid the risk of falling in dark rooms. There are also smart locks and sensors that detect if a door is left open, which can be valuable if the person risks going out in the middle of the night.
4. Video communication and social apps
Social isolation is a major problem for many people with dementia, especially if they cannot get out on their own. Video communication via adapted devices or tablets makes it easy to stay in touch with relatives and friends, even for those who may have difficulty using conventional technology. Several platforms offer simple video conferencing interfaces and can be customized to require minimal interaction, making it easier for the person with dementia to use.
5. Fall and health meter
Falling accidents are a major risk for elderly people with dementia. To increase safety, you can use fall meters that detect if the person has fallen and automatically send a warning to relatives or the alarm center. Health meters, such as heart rate monitors or blood pressure monitors, can also be integrated to follow the person’s health and detect changes early.
Sensorem’s safety alarm has GPS positioning, medication reminders and automatic fall alarm
Sensorem’s personal alarm is an example of a technical aid specially developed for people with dementia. The personal alarm works outdoors and has built-in GPS positioning so that relatives can see the user’s position on a map in the Sensorem app. Relatives are automatically called by the personal alarm (two-way communication) if the user leaves a predetermined geographical area. The personal alarm also has a medication reminder, which means that the watch emits a sound and tells the user that it is time to take their medication. The safety alarm can also alert automatically in the event of a fall with the built-in fall sensor.
